Rethinking John 1:1: The Word was Godward
The presence of wisdom “with” God at or before creation is well attested in Jewish sapiential traditions. Given the widespread recognition that the logos of John’s prologue corresponds with sophia in such traditions, it has become natural to read John 1:1b as virtually all English translations do—th...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2021
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| In: |
Novum Testamentum
Year: 2021, Volume: 63, Issue: 1, Pages: 44-62 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Bible. Johannesevangelium 1,1
/ Interpretation of
/ Platonism
/ History 50-200
/ Philo, Alexandrinus 25 BC-40
/ Numenius of Apamea ca. 2. Jh.
/ Alkinoos ca. 2. Jh.
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| IxTheo Classification: | HC New Testament HD Early Judaism VA Philosophy |
| Further subjects: | B
Middle Platonism
B Philo of Alexandria B Gospel of John B Alcinous B Logos B Numenius of Apamea |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The presence of wisdom “with” God at or before creation is well attested in Jewish sapiential traditions. Given the widespread recognition that the logos of John’s prologue corresponds with sophia in such traditions, it has become natural to read John 1:1b as virtually all English translations do—that is, as “and the word was with God.” Through comparative analysis of the role of divine intermediary figures in Middle-Platonism and Philo of Alexandria, this article argues against the majority interpretation by providing new arguments and a new conceptual framework for the reading, “and the Word was Godward.” |
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| ISSN: | 1568-5365 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Novum Testamentum
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/15685365-12341691 |