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

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Tue Apr 21 06:42:24 EDT 2009


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George F Somsel" <gfsomsel at yahoo.com>
To: "Emil Salim" <neokantian at gmail.com>; <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: 21. april 2009 13:28
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] John3 3,7 revisited ?born again?


> 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.

Yes, that is one aspect we need to look into, but the immediate context always takes priority over a 
distant context. We cannot assume that the same author cannot use the same word in different senses 
in different contexts.

>
> 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]

Notice that in this context where ANWQEN clearly means from above, that is signalled by the motion 
verb "coming".

Iver Larsen 




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