[B-Greek] John3 3,7 revisited ?born again?

George F Somsel gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Tue Apr 21 06:28:42 EDT 2009


It is important to note the author's use of a particular term in numerous contexts when attempting to ascertain what he might be saying in one particular passage.  In the case of John [for the sake of convenience, we'll call him "John"], there are 5 passages where he uses ἄνωθεν ANWQEN:  Jn 3.3, 7, 31; 19.11, 33.

In 3.31 he contrasts Ὁ ἄνωθενἐρχόμενος hO ANWQEN ERXOMENOS with ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς hO WN EK THS GHS thereby indicating that the ANWQEN is ἐπάνω EPANW or "above" the earthly.  Note also what John says regarding Jesus' βασιλεία BASILEIA since being born ANWQEN is connected with the Kingdom of God [Can they be equated?]:  ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου·hH BASILEIA hH EMH OUK ESTIN EK TOU KOSMOU TOUTOU. [Jn 18.36] 


What kind of genitive?  A genitive genitive.  That great apostle of the genitive distinction [Wallace, if this puzzles you] would likely categorize it as a genitive of source though he doesn't speak of this specifically.  Note that John has Nicodemus putting forth the idea that ANWQEN means "again" or "a second time", not Jesus.
 george
gfsomsel 


… search for truth, hear truth, 
learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth, 
defend the truth till death.


- Jan Hus
_________ 




________________________________
From: Emil Salim <neokantian at gmail.com>
To: George F Somsel <gfsomsel at yahoo.com>; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 2:05:38 AM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] John3 3,7 revisited ?born again?

On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 9:37 PM, George F Somsel <gfsomsel at yahoo.com> wrote:
CUT
> That Jesus is speaking of being born "from above" is evident from the fact that he says
>
> ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ.
> EAN MH TIS GENNHQHi EC hUDATOS KAI PNEUMATOS, OU DUNATAI EISELQEIN EIS THN BASILEIAN TOU QEOU

I'm curious to know what is it about EC hUDATOS KAI PNEUMATOS which
suggests that ANWQHN means "from above." Also, what kind of genitive
do we have here? Locative? Causative?

Emil Salim



      


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