Jim Parker
Member
Response to “The word was A god.”
There is no indefinite article in Koine (New Testament) Greek. ( As in .."A tree")
JW’s teaching: Since there is no definite article before “God” in John 1:1c then it must be translated; “...and the Word was A god.”
Corrective response: Nouns have DECLENSIONS. Their endings change based on their function in a sentence.
Examples:
“Silver tastes funny.” (As the subject, silver in Koine Greek is “ἄργυρος” [arguros])
The noun “Silver” is the subject and ends in “os.” This is the ending for the Nominative case.
“Conall ate silver. “ (As the object, Silver in Koine Greek is “ἀργύριον” [argurion])
This time the noun ends in “ion.” This is the ending for the Accusative case.
The verb “to be” is a “Linking Verb.”
It connects nouns that are essentially the same.
Example #1: “I am Spartacus.” (“I” and “Spartacus” are the same thing.)
I (the subject - [Sub]) am (linking verb) Spartacus. (Predicate Nominative - [PN])
Both nouns are in the Nominative case.
Example #2 “God is Love.” (“God” and “love” are the same thing.)
God (sub) is (linking verb) love. (PN)
In Koine Greek: “…ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν” (ho Theos (Sub) agape (PN) estin (linking verb)
Both “theos” and “agape” are in the nominative case.
Because “ἀγάπη” has no article, therefore, it is the predicate nominative.>>The definite article “ὁ” (ho) identifies the subject. (ὁ θεὸς)<<<
The proper translation is “God is love” not “God is A love.”
The issue at hand: The Jehovah’s Witnesses assert that, because there is no definite article before the word “God” in john 1:1c, it must be translated “the word was A God.” (Not THE God.)
John 1:1c “…θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος “ (Theos en ho logos)
NOTE: both “θεὸς” and “λόγος” end in “os”. They are both in the nominative case.
That means: one is the subject and one is the predicate nominative.
The PREDICATE NOMINATIVE is “θεὸς” because it does NOT have an article before it.
The SUBJECT is “λόγος” because it has the definite article “ὁ” before it.
The Connecting verb is “ἦν.” (was)
It connects “God” and “word” as being essentially the same thing.
John 1:1c can ONLY be properly translated “the Word was God.”