[B-Greek] John 1:18b question (and John 1:8)
Polycarp66 at aol.com
Polycarp66 at aol.com
Wed Dec 24 02:25:23 EST 2003
In a message dated 12/24/2003 1:57:15 AM Eastern Standard Time,
Polycarp66 at aol.com writes:
> I only know of one (possibly two) way(s) of answering that with any
> credibility.
>
> 1. Is there anything in the context of the passage which would lead one to
> believe that the author had Ex 3.14 in mind?
>
> 2. Does the author use this expression elsewhere, and, if so, how does he
> use it?
>
> In regard to #1 the usage in the Apocalypse would seem to indicate that the
>
> author had Ex 3.14 in mind when he four times uses the expression
>
> hO WN KAI hO HN [KAI hO ERXOMENOS]
>
> in reference to God, Christ or the Trinity. The question is whether there
> is
> a similar "obviousness" here. I tend to think there is not since hO WN does
>
> not function as an epithet as it does in the Apocalypse. Perhaps someone
> else
> might notice something which would be more determinative.
>
> In regard to #2, the Gospel uses the phrase hO WN six times
>
> a. Jn 1.18
>
> MONOGENHS QEOS hO WN EIS TON KOLPON -- ktl
>
> b. Jn 3.31
>
> ANWQEN ERXOMENOS EPANW PANTWN ESTIN; hO WN EK THS GHS ESTIN KAI EK THS GHS
> LALEI. hO EK TOU OURANOU ERXOMENOS -- ktl
>
> c. Jn 6.46
>
> OUX hOTI TON PATERA hEWRAKEN TIS EI MH hO WN PARA TOU QEOU, hOUTOS hEWRAKEN
> TON PATERA.
>
> d. Jn 8.47
>
> hO WN EK TOU QEOU TA hRHMATA TOU QEOU AKOUEI; DIA TOUTO hUMEIS OUK AKOUETE,
>
> hOTI EK TOU QEOU OUK ESTE.
>
> e. Jn 12.17
>
> EMARTUREI OUN hO OXLOS hO WN MET' AUTOU hOTE TO LAZARON EFWNHSEN EK TOU
> MNHMEIOU KAI HGEIREN AUTON EK NEKRWN.
>
> f. Jn 18.37
>
> . . . PAS hO WN EK THS ALHQEIAS AKOUEI MOU THS FWNHS.
>
> It would appear that most, if not all of these are existential in nature
> ("the one who is . . . ") and equate those whom it designates with another
> quality
> "the one who is of the earth speaks regarding the earth", "the one who is
> from God -- he has seen the Father", "the one who is from God hears the
> words of
> God", "the crowd which were with him . . . bore witness", "every one who is
> from the truth hears my voice." Thus it would be hard to argue from the
> author's usage that Jn 1.18 should be any different in character.
>
____
Something which I had intended to point out but neglected to include is that
some of these quite clearly COULD NOT BEYOND ANY DOUBT refer to Ex 3.14. For
example: "The one who is from the earth" is contrasted to "the one who comes
from above" and "The whole crowd who were with him" could hardly be a
reference to Ex 3.14.
gfsomsel
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