Re: col 1:15 greek help

From: Ed Gorham (aekalm@a-znet.com)
Date: Fri Nov 06 1998 - 19:54:22 EST


Tom,
Wow. There's a mouthful.
I don't have time right now to digest both questions, but here's a pointer
that might help. Much of this turns on the meaning, not of the genetive,
but of PROTOTOKOS. In Louw and Nida's Greeek-English Lexicon Based On
Semantic Domains, three senses of PROTOTOKOS are given: the standard sense,
pertaining to a first-born child; pertaining to existence prior to
something else, "existing first, existing before"; and finally, "superior
in status". It is likely that one of the last two senses are used here; L&N
put the passage in with the second sense. Jehovah's Witnesses come with
the a priori assumption that Christ was a created being, so naturally they
will only accept the first sense of the word.

See what the other Greekers have to add (much, I'm sure). I've spent some
time with Jehovah's Witnesses...nice, sincere folks, but spoon-fed. When
you have your answers, make sure your friend sticks to the passage you're
discussing, and perhaps he will begin to see some truth.

-Ed Gorham
aekalm@a-znet.com

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