Bible Study The Gospel of John, Greek discussion

[Gregg]

“the only begotten God” – ‘Only begotten’ means the unique, sole, or single one ‘to be.’ The ‘Only Begotten’ refers to Jesus as the Father’s Son, that the Word became Incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ, who was unique in demeanor and dimension. ‘Only Begotten’ may refer to the position of the only true High Priest of God. Jesus is unique in that He alone has seen the Father and bears witness of Him. He alone previously occupied the position of sitting at God’s right hand, and will always maintain the right and privilege to enter into the true Holy of Holies. It was the goal of the Lord to return to the side of His father, so that His Spirit would be sent to indwell believers, and that Jesus should complete the duties of the True High Priest. Luke may have indicated that the Father anointed Jesus as His High Priest in quoting Him as saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One” (Lk 9:35). As Priest, Jesus asked for and received His heart’s desire. “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (Ps 2:8). “You have given him his heart's desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips” (Ps 21:2, see Jn 17:20, 24).

 

[Gregg]

“He has explained Him.” – This is the only use of the word “explained” in this Gospel. It means to unfold or declare intimate or sacred things aloud. It also means to consider aloud that which has been pondered internally. Jesus could explain His Father because He “was with God” and He “was God” (Jn 1:1). Man may have eternal life by following Jesus and believing in His truthful explanations of God and life. “I Am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6, see Jn 3:14-21). This text brings to a culmination the finishing thought began in John 1:1 by calling Jesus the “Word,” that Jesus is the Personal manifestation of God’s Shekinah glory, His Divine nature, and His marvelous Salvation. The Word explains God.

 

[Gregg]

From “the Word” through this point in the text, nothing is said of Jesus speaking or of man hearing. John 1:3 alludes to the spoken word of God through references to His acts of creation, such as the phrases “God said” and “Let there be.” John “testified” and “cried out, saying,” but these are not the words of the Messiah (Jn 1:15). The Lord God spoke and wrote the Law. And likewise, “The Law was given through Moses,” spoken and written, but these are the words of Moses (Jn 1:17). Much of the emphasis in these beginning verses refers to the Light and the seeing of it, or rather the seeing of Him - Jesus, the Light of the World. The last phrase of this verse, after noting where Jesus is, calls out that He has explained God; this through His word and deed. His word pierced four-hundred and thirty years of silence that God placed upon Israel that they might thirst for Him when He came. “‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord’” (Amo 8:11).

 

[Chopper]

“the only begotten God” – ‘Only begotten’ means the unique, sole, or single one ‘to be.’ The ‘Only Begotten’ refers to Jesus as the Father’s Son, that the Word became Incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ, who was unique in demeanor and dimension. ‘Only Begotten’ may refer to the position of the only true High Priest of God. Jesus is unique in that He alone has seen the Father and bears witness of Him. He alone previously occupied the position of sitting at God’s right hand, and will always maintain the right and privilege to enter into the true Holy of Holies. It was the goal of the Lord to return to the side of His father, so that His Spirit would be sent to indwell believers, and that Jesus should complete the duties of the True High Priest. Luke may have indicated that the Father anointed Jesus as His High Priest in quoting Him as saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One” (Lk 9:35). As Priest, Jesus asked for and received His heart’s desire. “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (Ps 2:8). “You have given him his heart's desire, and You have not withheld the request of his lips” (Ps 21:2, see Jn 17:20, 24).

 

[Chopper]

“He has explained Him.” – This is the only use of the word “explained” in this Gospel. It means to unfold or declare intimate or sacred things aloud. It also means to consider aloud that which has been pondered internally. Jesus could explain His Father because He “was with God” and He “was God” (Jn 1:1). Man may have eternal life by following Jesus and believing in His truthful explanations of God and life. “I Am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6, see Jn 3:14-21). This text brings to a culmination the finishing thought began in John 1:1 by calling Jesus the “Word,” that Jesus is the Personal manifestation of God’s Shekinah glory, His Divine nature, and His marvelous Salvation. The Word explains God.

 

[Chopper]

From “the Word” through this point in the text, nothing is said of Jesus speaking or of man hearing. John 1:3 alludes to the spoken word of God through references to His acts of creation, such as the phrases “God said” and “Let there be.” John “testified” and “cried out, saying,” but these are not the words of the Messiah (Jn 1:15). The Lord God spoke and wrote the Law. And likewise, “The Law was given through Moses,” spoken and written, but these are the words of Moses (Jn 1:17). Much of the emphasis in these beginning verses refers to the Light and the seeing of it, or rather the seeing of Him - Jesus, the Light of the World. The last phrase of this verse, after noting where Jesus is, calls out that He has explained God; this through His word and deed. His word pierced four-hundred and thirty years of silence that God placed upon Israel that they might thirst for Him when He came. “‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord’” (Amo 8:11).

 

[Gregg]

Thanks, but perhaps too many posts on my part. I wanted to get those in before the forum advanced to the next verse.

 

[TimothyW]

Thanks, but perhaps too many posts on my part. I wanted to get those in before the forum advanced to the next verse.

Thanks for your comments Gregg,
Here's the next verse (I love this section, John's answers keep getting shorter, I feel his frustration):
John 1:19
Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάνου ὅτε ἀπέστειλαν πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευείτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν Σὺ τίς εἶ;
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ESV

 

[Gregg]

when the "Jews sent . . .", who are later identified as the Pharisees in Jn 1:24. What is the significance of the Pharisees sending someone else instead of going themselves?

and

Why did the Apostle differentiate between "priests" and "Levites"?

 

[TimothyW]

when the "Jews sent . . .", who are later identified as the Pharisees in Jn 1:24. What is the significance of the Pharisees sending someone else instead of going themselves?

and

Why did the Apostle differentiate between "priests" and "Levites"?

Hi Gregg, Good questions, I wish I had good answers!

What are your thoughts on this? The Pharisees seem like people who are full of pride, full of themselves. "I don't need to go there to check out a heretic, but since people are talking about this man, I guess we (who are so important, and have better things to do) should send someone to check out what's going on."
But John 1:24 says "Καὶ ἀπεσταλμένοι ἦσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων", (And those-sent were of the Pharisees or And those-sent were (sent) from the Pharisees).
The verse in Greek could be read either way.

I don't know why John says "priests and Levites". Priests were supposed to be from the tribe of Levi. Were there some priests who were not?

 

[Gregg]

Priests had to come from the tribe of Levi. I wonder if priests from other tribes were performing Levitical dutues. Perhaps the priesthood of "Levites" is here set in contrast with Jesus Christ who is our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Annas and Caiaphas were serving as co-high priests; although Annas was deposed from that office 20-25 years earlier. Annas, likely the leader of the Sanhedrim and a Sadducee who denied a resurrection, was appointed to office by the Syrian governor Quirinius, in 7 AD. Caiaphas took that office about 25 AD by appointment from Valerius Gratus, the Roman procurator. It seems as though neither were not appointed by God, but rather by secular powers. Also, they did not subject themselves to God, but rather to the Pharisees; a group which had formed 175 years or so prior. The priesthood was far from serving as they were called to do under Aaron and Moses.

Of all the titles that referred to Jesus in the Gospel of John, He was never referred to as our High Priest. Though the Messiah was in their midst, they did not recognize His Person or His office.

 

[TimothyW]

Thanks Gregg,

 

[Chopper]

Hey Biker, what's up? Since I don't know where you live, can you ride in the winter time? Hope all is well with you. I really like your additions to the John thread.

 

[Chopper]

Tim, in John 20:22 "and when He said this, He breathed on them and said to them. Receive the Holy Spirit"....My question is; would you say that this is when they were indwelt with the Holy Spirit?

Also in v.23 it says " if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld". What do you think is going on here.

 

[TimothyW]

Hey Biker, what's up? Since I don't know where you live, can you ride in the winter time? Hope all is well with you. I really like your additions to the John thread.

I live in Wisconsin, I'm hibernating thru the winter, so is my Sporty. My biker bro and I are planning a camping trip on the bikes down the Big River to maybe Saint Louis next summer. I don't know how far we want to go (or have time to go). We went to Lake Superior last year, and South Dakota the year before, (not Sturgis, that's not who we are. I don't like the craziness of Sturgis).

I'll post another verse tomorrow.

Re: John 20:22-23, IDK, I'd have to give it some thought. Maybe Gregg has something?

 

[TimothyW]

I guess I could skip ahead to John 20:22-23, since we are discussing that:
καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Λάβετε Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον.
ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφέωνται αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.

I think John 20:21 has to be included since verse 22 says "καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν", "and this said" or "having said this". So here is verse 21:
εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν· καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέν με ὁ Πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

These are difficult verses, not to read-they are written plain enough, but to understand and accept? That's hard.
A little bit about the words, Πνεῦμα is Spirit, Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον is "Holy Spirit". But Πνεῦμα also means breath, so verse 22 has a bit of word play in it.
John did this before when he wrote (Jesus' words) "The wind (Πνεῦμα) blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (Πνεύματος).

You have good questions, I didn't answer them properly, sorry.

 

[Chopper]

I guess I could skip ahead to John 20:22-23, since we are discussing that:
καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Λάβετε Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον.
ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφέωνται αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.

I think John 20:21 has to be included since verse 22 says "καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν", "and this said" or "having said this". So here is verse 21:
εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν· καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέν με ὁ Πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς.

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

These are difficult verses, not to read-they are written plain enough, but to understand and accept? That's hard.
A little bit about the words, Πνεῦμα is Spirit, Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον is "Holy Spirit". But Πνεῦμα also means breath, so verse 22 has a bit of word play in it.
John did this before when he wrote (Jesus' words) "The wind (Πνεῦμα) blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (Πνεύματος).

You have good questions, I didn't answer them properly, sorry.

Oh Tim, I value your interpretations very much. I can understand this a little better. It appears that the disciples "believed" but were not indwelt by the Holy Spirit, much like an OT Saint. but now they are Holy Spirit indwelt believers....It's a little hard to understand the forgiveness and withholding forgiveness. The Catholic church really takes off on that.

 

[TimothyW]

John 1:20
καὶ ὡμολόγησεν καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο, καὶ ὡμολόγησεν ὅτι Ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ Χριστός.

He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

The word for confessed is ὡμολόγησεν, homologesen, homo = same, logos = word.
Confessing is agreeing to what is right.

 

[TimothyW]

John 1:21
καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν Τί οὖν; σὺ Ἡλείας εἶ; καὶ λέγει Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Οὔ.

And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” (ESV)

When I was learning to read Greek, I also listened to this Gospel as it was being read in Greek. This verse is so cool in Greek.
kai erote-san auoton "Ti oun"? "Sue Elias eh?" kai legay "Ouk emee". "Ho prophetees eh sue"? Kai apekrithe - "Ou".

 

[Gregg]

The jews, priests, and Levites asked if John was Elijah, and if he was the prophet. What OT Scriptures led to their asking those questions?