[b-greek] RE: All ARXH + genitive with respect to person is decisive - Correction

From: Iver Larsen (alice-iver_larsen@wycliffe.org)
Date: Thu Jan 25 2001 - 13:16:22 EST


Dear David,

> But if we assume that ARCH means "beginning" in Rev 3:14, we still have to
> figure out what that means.

I assume the contrary. My understanding is that the area of meaning of ARCH (I
always have a hard time remembering that chi is supposed to be C) includes both
first in time and first in position. I agree with Virgil's recent post that both
the immediate context within the sentence, the wider context of the section, and
the context of the NT points fairly decisively towards "first in position",

Jesus as being in authority over God's creation, and that includes me.
>
> KJV, ASV, NASB all have "beginning." But what did they think that means?

Well, I don't know. I am sure the translators of the KJV did the best they
could, but IMO they made a mistake here. It is my impression that what the KJV
said has set the tradition for most English Bible translators since, especially
those who prefer a more literal kind of translation. Actually, the literal
German Luther Bible as well as the literal authorised Danish versions (up
through 1907) also say "beginning". It doesn't help me to know what they thought
it meant. The literal Danish translations from 1948 and 1992 say "Guds
skabnings ophav". I am not sure what that means or how to translate it, but
something like "the creator/initiator/first cause of God's creation". (They have
followed Bauer's suggested sense.)
The more meaning-based German translation, Die gute Nachricht, says "der
wahrhaftige und treue Zeuge, der vor allem da war, was Gott geschaffen hat"
which I believe means something like "the true and faithful witness who was
there (existed) before everything that God has created." (German speakers may
correct me if I am wrong.) It seems to me they are trying to make sense of
"beginning".

You are probably aware that English versions have a variety of suggestions:
RSV beginning NRSV origin
GNB origin CEV source
NIV ruler NLT ruler
NET originator NCV beginning
REB source JBP beginning
GW source etc

Iver Larsen


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