John 1:1

1
John 11
2
Objectives

• Consider how John 11 truly supports what we know
  to be the respective roles and relationship of
  our Father, Jehovah, the Creator and His son, our
  Lord Jesus, the son of man, the redeemer

• Create awareness of Colwells 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 Fathers 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

3
Outline

• In the beginning was the word

• And the word was with God

• And the word was god

4
In the beginning was the word

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

• Col. 115-17 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.

5
In the beginning was the word

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

• 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

6
And the word was with God

• The Greek word used here is pros

• Strongs a preposition of direction forward
  to, that is, toward the place, time, occasion,
  or respect, which is the destination of the
  relation

7
And the word was with God

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

• 1 John 321 Beloved, if our heart condemn us
  not, then have we confidence toward God.

• Philemon 15 Hearing of thy love and faith,
  which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward
  all saints

• Acts 2416 And herein do I exercise myself, to
  have always a conscience void of offence toward
  God, and toward men.

8
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 217 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.

9
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 Fathers words, his character and
  his purpose

• Wanted so to accomplish his Fathers 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.

10
And the word was toward God

• Jesus highest motive

John 173 This is eternal life, that they may
know You, the only true God
11
And the word was God

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

12
And the word was God

• the dog was champion

Subject Verb Object
13
And the word was God

• the dog was champion

Predicate
Predicate Nominative
(PN)
14
And the word was God

• the dog was champion

Anarthrous
Refers to a noun that lacks an article
15
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

1. It can qualify or classify the subject
   (qualitative noun) and is usually indefinite
   a

16
And the word was God

• the dog was champion

The dog was Champion.
-or-
The dog was the champion.
-or-
The dog was a champion.
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And the word was God

• the dog was a champion

a champion was the dog
18
And the word was God
kai theos en ho logos
and god was the word

• Does Colwells rule imply it must be the God?

• Is adding the indefinite a justified and proper?

19
And the word was God
Colwells 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."
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And the word was God
Colwells Rule
What does this rule say?

• If a definite PN precedes the verb it usually
  lacks the article.

• Whether a PN is definite or indefinite depends
  on context.

What this rule does not say

• If the PN precedes the verb it is always
  definite.

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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.

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And the word was a god
The Bottom Line
Wilsons Diaglott (interlinear)
and a god was the Word.
New World Translation
and the Word was a god.
RVIC2000
the Word also was a god.
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And the word was a god
Yet there is more! A further confirmation
An early Coptic Translation of John 11
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And the word was a god
A further confirmation
An early Coptic Translation of John 11
George Horners 1910 English translation
In the beginning was being the word, and the
word was being with God, and a god was the
word.
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John 11
In Conclusion
  Phil. 25-8 (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.