[B-Greek] The opening of John
dnhschmidt at juno.com
dnhschmidt at juno.com
Mon Mar 31 11:25:38 EST 2003
Hello
The opening of the Gospel According to John is often dissected, with a
view to supporting a particular doctrinal position.
Alongside of this, some see in the opening the words of an ancient hymn.
If we do see a hymn, is it really fair to subject the passage to such
scrutiny? For example, take the phrase "All Hail the Power of Jesus'
Name". Should we ask whether this should be understood as a statement of
fact or as a command? What exactly is meant by "hail"? Is it a greeting
or an invitation to worship? What was the author's original intent? But
many people enjoy the thrust of the words without performing such an
exercise. In my experience, too much scrutiny can lead to the thrust
being blunted or missed.
So, then, should the opening of the Gospel be viewed as a hymn? If so,
then should it be dissected?
Sincerely,
Dan Schmidt
Martins Ferry, Ohio
If you wish, you may respond to me directly at dnhschmidt at juno.com
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