[B-Greek] MONOGENHS in the fourth gospel

Barry H. nebarry at verizon.net
Sat Sep 25 06:19:40 EDT 2010


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Leonard Jayawardena" <leonardj at live.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2010 2:28 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] MONOGENHS in the fourth gospel


>
>
> Sometime ago, I argued under the above thread that MONOGENHS in the fourth 
> gospel meant "best-beloved," citing, inter alia, Josephus 20:20 as 
> supporting this understanding of this word.
>
>
> I have reconsidered this matter since and now think that MONOGENHS in the 
> fourth gospel has exactly the same sense that it has in all other 
> occurrences in the NT: "only." Therefore the phrase MONOGENHS hUIOS in the 
> fourth gospel (and 1 John) means "only son" and MONOGENHS QEOS in John 
> 1:18 means "only god." As I explained in an earlier post, QEOS in 
> MONOGENHS QEOS is a common noun.
>
> I do not now think that there are any occurrences of MONOGENHS in extant 
> Greek literature which support understanding MONOGENHS as "best-beloved" 
> or "favourite."

Greetings, Leonard.  You now appear to support the general modern consensus 
on the meaning of the word.  Would you mind explaining what changed your 
mind, and what you mean that "QEOS in MONOGENHS QEOS is a common noun."

N.E. Barry Hofstetter, semper melius Latine sonat...
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
(2010 Savatori Excellence in Education Winner)
V-P of Academic Affairs, TNARS
bhofstetter at tnars.net
http://www.tnars.net

http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry




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