Translation Notes for 1 John 1:1-10

Vocabulary to Review/Learn before Translating (in order of appearance):

ἐθεασάμεθα (22) see

ἐψηλάφησαν (4) touch; feel around for

κοινωνίαν (19) fellowship, participation; generosity, contribution

ἡμετέρα (7) our

ἀγγελία (2) message, command

ἀναγγέλλομεν (14) announce, report, tell

σκοτία (16) darkness

ψευδόμεθα (12) lie

1.1

What does ὃ refer to? How is best to translate it?

1.2

Parse ἐψηλάφησαν.

1.3

How do you translate χριστοῦ?

1.9

How do you translate δίκαιος and ἀδικίας?

Notice the subjunctives.

The West Sands

Have you ever seen Chariots of Fire? If you have, then you probably remember the opening scene where they run across the beach with the inspiring music playing in the background. If you haven’t, then go search for “chariots of fire opening scene” and watch a clip of it. I’ve heard more about that one scene sine I’ve lived in St. Andrews than I have about that entire movie in my life. Why? That scene was filmed on the West Sands in St. Andrews. I had been on the West Sands before, but I had not actually walked up to the most northern point of it. This last Saturday I joined my friend Leif to walk the beach, and because it was a beautiful day, I thought I would share some pictures and videos.

This is probably my favorite picture from the day.

Here one can see the town of St. Andrews from the beach.

I’m on the left with Leif on the right.

Greek Reading Schedule

Week 1 – 9 Oct – John 1:1-14 – 14 verses

Week 2 – 16 Oct – Gen 1:1-5; 1 John 1:1-10 – 15 verses

Week Off – 23 Oct – **Break**

Week 3 – 30 Oct – John 1:19-34 – 16 verses

Week 4 – 6 Nov – John 15:9-27 – 19 verses

Week 5 – 13 Nov – 1 John 3:11-24 – 14 verses

Week 6 – 20 Nov – Mark 12:28-34; 1 Cor 13:1-13 – 20 verses

Week 7 – 27 Nov – 1 Cor 15:1-11; Rom 13:8-14 – 18 verses

Week 8 – 4 Dec – Eph 5:1-21 – 21 verses

Translation Notes for John 1:1-14

Vocabulary to Review/Learn before Translating (in order of appearance):

σκοτία, ας, ἡ (16 occurrences) – darkness, gloom
καταλαμβάνω (15) – I seize, win, attain, overtake, catch; grasp (mid.)
φωτίζω (11) – I shine; illuminate, bring to light, reveal (trans.)
σκηνόω (5) – I live, dwell
θεάομαι (22) – I see, look at, behold, visit
μονογενής, ές (9) – only, unique
πλήρης, ες (16) – filled, full, complete, fully ripened, covered with

1.1

Parse ἀρχῇ.

Remember that in Greek the subject of a sentence normatively receives the definite article, not the object.

1.3

πάντα δι’αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο – Here, the passive construction signifies agency specifically that of an intermediate agent. “The subject of a passive verb receives the actions that is a pressed by διά + genitive. Here, the agent is intermediate, not ultimate” (Wallace 188). Best translated using the preposition “through”.

Parse ἐγένετο.

What is the root of ἐγένετο?

Parse γέγονεν.

What is the root of γέγονεν?

1.4

τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων – What is the best translation of this genitive?

A simple translation might render it “the light of men/mankind/humanity”; however, I take precision in translation whenever possible as a greater good than leaving it generic.

1.5

Pay attention to how σκοτία is used in the first clause versus the second. Make sure to correctly match the subject to the verb in the second clause.

1.6

ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ Θεοῦ – make sure to properly punctuate and locate this phrase in your translation. How should you translate this participle?

Make sure to supply a verb in the phrase ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης.

1.7

Parse μαρτυρήσῃ.

Parse πιστεύσωσιν.

1.8

To what antecedent noun does ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς refer?

1.9

Identify your subject and object.

Identify the antecedent of ὃ.

How should you translate the participle ἐρχόμενον?

1.11

To what does the language of ἴδια refer?

In this verse, the Word literally “came into his own” and his own did not receive him. What could this be referring to?

1.12

What does the phrase τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ modify?

1.13

If you are struggling with these constructions, look at how Eugene Peterson translates this verse in The Message.

1.14

Wright points out that ἐσκήνωσεν (the word commonly translated “lived” or “dwelt”) means “tabernacled” or “pitched his tent” (Wright, The Day the Revolution Began, 112-3).

Radical Forgiveness and Love

It was only a little over a day ago when I saw the video being shared from ABC News of Botham Jean’s brother forgiving his brother’s killer (Amber Guyger). If you’re unfamiliar with the story, I won’t try to retell it. You can look at the news article that I have linked below; as someone not trained in journalism, I would rather not accidentally include or exclude certain details. What I will say is this: it was a terrible incident that led to outrage in various communities.

However, I don’t want to comment on the legal, moral, or racial issues surrounding this story. I want to focus on that video I mentioned before. In that video, a brave young man shared his heart and soul in front of a courtroom of grieving people including his own family and to an international audience. Looking on his brother’s killer, Brandt Jean admitted that he didn’t want Guyger to go to jail. He wants what’s best for, and he forgives her and loves her. He wants the same thing for her that he says his brother Botham would have wanted; he wants her to accept Christ. After repeating this, he leaves the stand to hug Guyger with audible tears being shed throughout the courtroom.

If you watch that video, you will see what I can only describe as radical forgiveness and love. That cannot have been easy for him. I cannot imagine being in his place and being able to say those words. I can hardly watch it without tearing up. Looking at comments on social media, it becomes clear that some people think that she doesn’t deserve it. Many people think that he shouldn’t have done this. But I don’t think for a second they’ll change his mind. When someone does something so astounding, it’s hard for the world to understand. When someone shows love and forgiveness to the least deserving person in their life, the world may call them crazy or misguided, but God calls them blessed. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

This act was a fulfillment of the ministry done for us and given to us by God: the ministry of reconciliation. Paul writes:

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:16-21; emphasis mine).

I honestly cannot get that young man’s act of love out of my head. It convicts me. Could I do the same? It confuses me. Is this really what love is? It calls me. Go and do likewise. I cannot watch that video and not see Jesus. Following in his footsteps, the judge went to Guyger before she was taken away after her sentencing. She went to her and gave her, what was reported to be, her personal Bible. She read her John 3:16, and she told her to start by reading the gospel according to John. She told her that God loves her and has a plan for her. She, like Botham Jean’s brother, embraced her. What another beautiful act of Jesus-love. We cannot forget that radical forgiveness and love are the means by which God’s kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.

For the news story, http://abcn.ws/2puWKDl.