- About John 1:1
- As I always hear the same song about John 1:1 and I am tired of hearing it again and again, I am going to have a look at the use of the definite article or not in the book of John!
- When I look at the translations of John 1:1 in Biblehub, they all say and the Word was God!
- Now before starting, I am going to repeat that in Ancient Greek, you only get the definite article!
- When there is no definite article, it corresponds to the indefinite article!
- So let’s start with John 1:1 I am going to put into pieces!
Ἐν (En)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.
ἀρχῇ (archē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 746: From archomai; a commencement, or chief.
- So here in Greek we don’t have the definite article but we have a preposition followed by a noun (in (the) beginning)
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
Λόγος (Logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or
motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.
- Here we get the Word (o Logos) that is definite article and noun!
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
Λόγος (Logos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.
Θεόν (Theon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.
- Once again we get the Word (o Logos) that is definite article and noun!
- Then we get with God, that is we don’t have the definite article but we have a preposition followed by a noun (with God)!
- and
- καὶ (kai)
- Conjunction
- Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.
- the
- ὁ (ho)
- Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
- Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
- Word
- Λόγος (Logos)
- Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
- Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.
- Again we get the Word that is definite article and noun!
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.
- Here we get a different case that is the noun God (Theos) is alone!
- There is no definite article and no preposition!
- So it corresponds to the indefinite article that is a god or having divine origins!
- To check how John writes, we are going to look at the whole book!