Three Basic Facts from John 1:1
[New Simplified Bible Translation Notes]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was like God (God-like). (John 1:1) (New Simplified Bible)
The apostle John established three basic Biblical facts when he wrote John 1:1:
(1) The Word was alive in the beginning.
(2) The Word was with God.
(3) The Word was like God or a god.
These three basic facts will help to explain John 1:1. John attempted to explain these basic beliefs in the inspired Gospel of John, the three Letters of John, and the book of Revelation. The serious Bible student needs to study and meditate on all of the Bible books written by John in order to understand the Emblematic Language of John 1:1. The entire context of John’s writings shows that Jesus Christ is the Son of God…NOT GOD!
Trinitarians say, “the original Greek consistently uses the word Theos or God in English in two places in the verse. What they do not recognize is that in one place the context of the verse says the “Word was with God” identifying WHERE the Word was. The other entry in John 1:1, "the Word was like-God" or “a god” identifies WHO OR WHAT the Word was. In each instance the context of the Bible dictates how it should be translated.
Another Bible verse where the Greek word “Theos” (Strong’s #2316) is found two times and translated once as "godly" and the other time as "God" is found at 2 Corinthians 1:12. "For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward." (King James Version) Here is a perfect example of translation based on the context of the sentence or verse.
“GOD-LIKE” EXPRESSES ACCURATE MEANING: The New Simplified Bible uses one of the other accurate meanings of the Greek word “theos,” Godly, God-like, or like God. This reference to Jesus Christ, the Word, as being God-like is fitting since he is a member of the God family and is therefore very much like his heavenly Father. It is in a relative sense that Jesus Christ could even be considered God. After all he is not his own Father and his Father truly is God.
The translator must decide which meaning applies in the first verse of the Gospel of John. The translator needs to search the context of each verse, chapter, and book before selecting the proper word to convey the English meaning of the Greek or Hebrew word or phrase. Does this translation process require that the translator apply a “theological viewpoint”?
THEOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT: According to the Word Web Dictionary from Princeton University
· Theological: “That which is related to or concerning theology.” Theology is a study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth.
· Viewpoint: “A mental position from which things are viewed.”
Anything related to religion could be said to require a theological viewpoint. That would certainly apply to Bible translation! How could anyone not be influenced by his own personal theological viewpoint while translating John 1:1. First of all you read the Greek: "Logos en Theos" and then you translate. Now you are faced with the decision of which god or God is the Word. (Word was God) or (Word was like-God)
If you hold to the Trinitarian belief that Jesus is God you translate to the word "God." If you accept the dozens of statements in the Scriptures (more than 70 times in Greek Scriptures) that Jesus is the Son of God you translate to one of the other meanings of the Greek word "Theos" such as "a god" or "like-God." But before you finish translating John 1:1 you must take a firm theological viewpoint.
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