Homer wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 2:52 pm
Darin,
I have difficulty understanding just what you believe John was saying about God and Jesus in the prologue to his Gospel
John 1:1-18. Could you inform me as to whom you believe the personal pronouns highlighted in red refer to in each of the following cases?
New American Standard Bible
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2
He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through
Him, and apart from
Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In
Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.
9 This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 10
He was in the world, and the world came into being through
Him, and yet the world did not know
Him. 11
He came to
His own, and
His own people did not accept
Him. 12 But as many as received
Him, to them
He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in
His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John *testified about
Him and called out, saying, “This was
He of whom I said, ‘
He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because
He existed before me.’” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father,
He has explained
Him.
Thaks, Homer
There are often ambiguities in determining referents to pronouns and are usually driven by context - in a stylistic literary device like this it can be a challenge, and is driven by presuppositions and presumed context. So, depending on how you see what's being said here, I've seen interpretations that seem reasonable which would drive slightly different pronoun referents. But, this is the most common, I would think. It might also bear closer study but this isn't algebra - it's a poetic intro with several different things going on stylistically - so it is a challenge no matter what position you take. This is but one attempt.
The Word Became Flesh
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2
The Word was with God in the beginning. 3Through
the Word all things were made; without
the Word nothing was made that has been made. 4Life was in
the Word, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome a
that light.
6There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7
John came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8
John himself was not the light;
John came only as a witness to the light.
9The true light
(Jesus)that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10
The Word was in the world, and though the world was made through
the Word, the world did not recognize
the Word. 11
The Light, Jesus came to that which was
Jesus’ own, but
Jesus’ own did not receive
Jesus. 12Yet to all who did receive
the Word, to those who believed in
Jesus’ name,
Jesus gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14The Word became flesh and made
the Word and God through Jesus dwelling among us. We have seen
the glory of God and the Word, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15(John testified concerning
Jesus.
John cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) 16Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and b is in closest relationship with the Father, has made
God known.
