John 1:1

Objectives

• Consider how John 1:1 truly supports what we know to be the Consider how John 1:1 truly supports what we know to be the respective roles and relationship of our Father, Jehovah, the respective roles and relationship of our Father, Jehovah, the Creator and His son, our Lord Jesus, the son of man, the redeemerCreator and His son, our Lord Jesus, the son of man, the redeemer

• Create awareness of Colwell’s rule and what it says and what it does not say and consider further confirmations.

• See how our Lord thoroughly devoted himself to accomplishing the Father’s plan and purpose

• Inspire us to greater dedication and diligence to the have the same mind and devotion as we endeavor to walk in his footsteps

Outline

• “In the beginning was the word”

• “And the word was with God”

• “And the word was god”

“In the beginning was the word”

Col. 1:15-17 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all

things consist.”

Our Lord did have a beginning, he was created, he was begotten.

“In the beginning was the word”

In Revelations our Lord identifies himself as”:

“The Alpha and Omega”

“The beginning and the ending”

“The first and the last”

“The beginning of the creation of God”

Our Lord did have a beginning, he was created, he was begotten.

“And the word was with God ”

• The Greek word used here is “pros”

• Strong’s: “a preposition of direction; forward to, that is, toward … the place, time, occasion, or respect, which is the destination of the relation”

“And the word was with God ”

• Examples of where “pros” is used to indicate the destination of the relation:

• 1 John 3:21 “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”

• Philemon 1:5 “Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;”

• Acts 24:16 “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

“And the word was with God ”

• The complete phrase here is “pros ton theon” and is found as such in only one other NT scripture:

• Heb 2:17 “Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”

“And the word was toward God ” • From this expanded understanding of “pros ton

theon” we know John understood that the Logos:

• Desired in all aspects of his life and being to serve The God, Jehovah, his Father

• Represented his Father’s words, his character and his purpose

• Wanted so to accomplish his Father’s will and purpose for mankind, that he took on the perfect human nature and through suffering and humility became the High Priest for us and all humanity.

“And the word was toward God ”

Jesus’ highest motive:

John 17:3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God …”

“And the word was God”

“Here we have what are certainly the most widely discussed five words in the Bible.”

“And the word was God”

the dog was champion

Subject Verb Object

“And the word was God”

the dog was champion

Predicate

Predicate Nominative(PN)

“And the word was God”

the dog was champion

Anarthrous

Refers to a noun that lacks an article

“And the word was God”

the dog was champion

The noun that serves as the object of the verb can serve one of two possible roles:

1. It can name or give specific identity to the subject – and is usually definite – “the”

2. It can qualify or classify the subject (qualitative noun) – and is usually indefinite – “a”

“And the word was God”

the dog was champion

The dog was Champion.

The dog was the champion.

The dog was a champion.

-or-

-or-

“And the word was God”

the dog was a champion

a champion was the dog

“And the word was God”

kai theos en ho logos

and god was the word

Does Colwell’s rule imply it must be “the God”?

Is adding the indefinite “a” justified and proper?

“And the word was God”

Colwell’s Rule

“… A definite predicate nominative has the article when it follows the verb; it does not have the article when it precedes the verb ... A predicate nominative which precedes the verb cannot be translated as an indefinite or a 'qualitative' noun solely because of the absence of the article; if the context suggests that the predicate is definite, it should be translated as a definite noun despite the absence of the article."

“And the word was God”

Colwell’s Rule

What does this rule say?

What this rule does not say:

If a definite PN precedes the verb it usually lacks the article. Whether a PN is definite or indefinite depends on context.

If the PN precedes the verb it is always definite.

“And the word was God”

Paul S. Dixon's Th.M. thesis: “The use of the anarthrous PN in John is significant.”

Findings:

• The PN is qualitative (indefinite) 88% of the time• Preceding the verb it is qualitative 94% of the time!

Conclusions:

• Colwell's rule cannot be applied. • High probability (94%) that ‘theos’ is qualitative.

“And the word was a god”

The Bottom Line

“New World Translation”

“RVIC2000”

“… and the Word was a god.”

“… the Word also was a god.”

“Wilson’s Diaglott” (interlinear) “… and a god was the Word.”

“And the word was a god”

Yet there is more! – A further confirmation An early Coptic Translation of John 1:1

“And the word was a god”

A further confirmation An early Coptic Translation of John 1:1

“In the beginning was being the word, and the word was being with God,

and a god was the word.”

George Horner’s 1910 English translation:

John 1:1

In Conclusion

  Phil. 2:5-8 (NASB) “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”