Re: Johannine ARCH (was Jn.1:1b word order)

From: Jonathan Robie (jonathan@texcel.no)
Date: Tue Feb 10 1998 - 21:08:02 EST


At 06:39 PM 2/10/98 -0600, Jeffrey Gibson wrote:
 
>Whatever the meaning of ARCH in Jn 1:1, I must once more draw attention
>to an error that is exemplified in Jonathan's post [snipped above] and
>similar threads. It is NOT *Jesus* who was with God "in the beginning", it
>was the LOGOS - which, whatever the LOGOS is (God's Wisdom, his eternal
>purpose, etc.) is *not* a person, let alone Jesus of Nazareth existing in
>some pre-temporal, disembodied state.

Hmmmm I think it is pretty clear from the context that the LOGOS is the one
about whom John testifies (verses 14-15), and that this LOGOS is identified
as Jesus (verses 16-17). I don't think that the prologue is clear about the
exact form that Jesus had EN ARCH, but I do think there is a clear
identification of the LOGOS with Jesus.

>Further Thomas' confession of Jesus as
>his Lord and God is, in the light of the fact that Domitian made his
>subjects procalaim this to him to establish their loyalty, is an act of
>allegiance not an ontological statement.
 
My understanding is that the Christians were martyred because they saw this
as blasphemy and refused to bow down to Domitian. There is no indication
that the Christians saw this as blasphemous with respect to Jesus.

Jonathan
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Jonathan Robie jwrobie@mindspring.com

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