[B-Greek] Rev 1:10

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Thu Jun 24 15:27:51 EDT 2010


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vasileios Tsialas" <tsialas78 at hotmail.com>
To: <gfsomsel at yahoo.com>; <ekbaker at essex1.com>; "B-Greek Lists"
<b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: 24. juni 2010 20:16
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Rev 1:10
...
>
> I would appreciate everyone’s opinion on that, that the verb εγενόμην offers a
> clue. The text says:
> «Εγενόμην εν τη νήσω τη καλουμένη Πάτμο […] εγενόμην εν πνεύματι εν τη Κυριακή
> ημέρα».
> If εγενόμην means “was (present) in the
> island of Patmos”, in the first clause, I find it most possible to mean
> exactly
> the same at the second clause: “I was (present) in the Lord’s day by means of
> spirit”.
>
> Vasileios
> Tsialas

Well, I don't think EGENOMHN simply means "was", but points to being in a
certain state at the same time as it implies a transition from not being in that
state.

First, he came to be on this island, but that was not his normal location.
Second, he came to be in the Spirit. This is a way of saying that he had a
vision. The same expression is found in Rev 4:2:
εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι
EUQEWS EGENOMHN EN PNEUMATI
Right away I came to be in the Spirit (i.e. under the power of the Spirit)

It is parallel in some ways to Acts 10:10:
ἐγένετο δὲ πρόσπεινος καὶ ἤθελεν γεύσασθαι. παρασκευαζόντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἐγένετο ἐπ᾽
αὐτὸν ἔκστασις
EGENETO DE PROSPEINOS KAI HQELEN GEUSASQAI. PARASKEUAZONTWN DE AUTWN EGENETO EP'
AUTON EKSTASIS.
He came to be hungry and wanted to get a meal. While it was being prepared, he
had an "outside-himself" experience.
This means that the Holy Spirit came upon him and he saw a vision.

Therefore, it seems clear that Rev 1:10 means that John came under the power of
the Spirit and saw a vision, and it happened on the Lord's day - which is well
established expression for Sunday from the papyri.

The Day of the Lord refers to a future time when Jesus will return and exact
punishment on the unbelievers. This sense does not fit at all the context of Rev
1:10.

Iver Larsen




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