Re: The article for abstract nouns

From: Williams, Wes (Wes.Williams@echostar.com)
Date: Wed Dec 31 1997 - 14:38:52 EST


        Jonathan wrote:

>>QEOS, when used in the singular, is definite, and always
refers to
        God, the one God of the Christians. This is consistent with
other
        non-articular uses of QEOS, which are clearly definite, e.g.:

        Luke 20:38 QEOS DE OUK ESTIN NEKRWN ALLA ZWNTWN

        Are there any examples of QEOS in the singular that are clearly
qualitative
        or indefinite in the NT? It seems to me that QEOS is used pretty
much like
        a name, e.g. PAULOS, and is definite with or without the article
in the NT. <<

        In addition to Carl's insightful comments, I will add Acts 28:6
when Paul was bitten by the ECIDNA and did not die, the Maltans began to
say that [Paul] EINAI QEON.

        Granted that the people did not recognize the Father as TON
MONON ALHQINON THEON, and that this is a predicate accusative following
the copulative verb, in terms of the lexical nature of the word, we see
that the word "QEOS" is a count noun. Whether or not it is definite
comes from context, not the word itself.

        As for QEOS acting as a pseudo proper name, Paul wrote in 1 Cor
8:5,6 hHMIN hEIS QEOS hO PATHR (there is to us one God, the Father).
Paul infrequently uses QEOS without the article in reference to the
Father, but his habitual use of language (QEOS c. 309 times)
distinguishes KYRIOS IESOUS CRISTOS from QEOS. When the scriptures refer
to the godship of Jesus (e.g. John 1:1c), the Son, one must be careful
to examine their assumptions (paragraph 1 above) that apply to the
Father elsewhere since the two are carefully distinguished both in Paul
and John (cf. John 1:1b, John 1:18b).

        Sincerely,
        Wes Williams



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