[B-Greek] Comparing John 1:18 & 1John 4:12

Jason Kerrigan jasonandshon at yahoo.com
Sat Aug 12 14:53:44 EDT 2006


There is a very interesting comparison that can be made when comparing John 1:18 
  with 1John 4:12.
   
  John 1:18 says, "theon oudeis heoraken popote monogenes" (God no-man has-seen 
  at-any-time the-only-begotten)
   
  1John 4:12 says, "theon oudeis popote tetheatai ean agapomen" (God no-man at-any-
  time has-beheld if we-love)
   
  The NIV translates 1John 4:12 as, "No one has ever seen God; but if we love" (bold 
  letters mine)
   
  By the same standard used to translate 1John 4:12 in the NIV couldn't John 1:18
  be translated as, "No man has seen God at any time but/except the only begotten"?
   
  We see this implication in some Ante Nicene quotations:
   
  "As it is written in the Gospel: 'No man has seen God at any time, except the only-
  begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father; He has declared him." (- Irenaeus, 
  Ante Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, pg.489) 
   
  And, "It is also supported by the scripture: 'No man has seen God at any time, 
  except the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father.'" (- Disputation 
  of Archelaus and Manes, Ante Nicene Fathers Vol.6, pg.205)
   
  (These two tranlsations are taken from "A Dictionary of Early Christ Beliefs," published by Hendrickson, pg. 642)
   
  This would produce an agreeing structure in the second clause of John 1:18 as found in the first clause of John 1:18. Harold pointed out that the object noun theon is 
  stated before the verb in the first clause ("God no man has seen") likewise, if 
  monogenes is an ending to the first clause (no man has seen God at any time except 
  the only begotten") then the second clause would also begin by stating the object first
  ("God, the one being in the bosom of the Father, that one declared").
   
  "No man hath seen God at any time except the only begotten. God, the one being in 
  the bosom of the Father that one declared."
   
  or
   
  "No man hath seen God at any time except the only begotten. The one being in the bosom of the Father hath declared God."
   
  Thanks for any help you can provide on this issue,
  Jaosn Kerrigan
   

 		
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