1. Thomas A. Wayment is the editor of a book entitled, The Complete Joseph Smith Translation of the New Testament: A Side-By-Side Comparison With The King James Version (Deseret Book, 2005). Find John 1:1 and you will read, “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.”

Now unique to this particular book is that you will find the documentation where Joseph Smith actually crossed out words in the King James Version.

Here is my first question. Are you sure the Holy Spirit wanted Joseph Smith to cross out the third reference to Word (Logos) in John 1:1?

2. John W. Welch and John F. Hall in their book, Charting The New Testament (Provo: FARMS, 2002), declare in chart 18-12, “The Last Words Written in the N.T. – John 21:25.” But this is no longer believed to be the case among the newer profs in BYU academia, right? Like for instance in the latest book, Jesus Christ and The World of the New Testament (Deseret Book, 2006).

3. Let me provide one final quote from a book named, Verse By Verse – The Four Gospels (Deseret Book, 2006) by D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner. On page 30, they write concerning John 1:1-5, “This passage teaches that the Son was in the beginning with the Father (see D&C 93:21); that the gospel has been on earth from the beginning; and that the Father and the Son are two separate Beings. They have been carrying out their divine work together from the beginning.”

Even in Welch and Hall’s forementioned book, their chart 7-2 translates John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was [a] God.”

But now to be a little technical, how can you do that with Greek language? How can people translate, “a god,” as in “one among many”? I do realize that in the last phrase of John 1:1, the predicate nominative, God (theos), does not have a Greek article in front of it. Yet isn’t this almost expected when in the Greek, the predicate nominative comes before the verb and subject? And (kai) God (theos) was (en) the Word (ho logos).

Thinking of heart issues

Yesterday, Ben Huff entitled his entry, “Are Mormons Trinitarian?” over at http://www.timesandseasons.org. It is a core question. A true heart issue. Thanks Ben.

Ben’s article is here.

Check out Dave’s Mormon Inquiry also relevant to the discussion of the first phrases of John 1. Scroll down to the article, Nicene Links, on October 9, 2006.

Because of my study in the Gospel of John, I recently out of curiosity skimmed through a book entitled, Jesus Christ and The World of the New Testament (Salt Lake: Deseret Book, 2006) by Richard Neitzel, Eric Huntsman, and Thomas A. Wayment. In this new hardback family addition, the layout is very attractive and the pictures are magnificent.

I read with interest what the LDS professors stated on page 132 about the prologue in John 1:1-18. “Whether an original composition or a hymn adapted from John’s prophetic predecessor John the Baptist, the prologue connects Jesus closely with God and attributes a role as creator to him in a way reminiscent of the opening lines of Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth . . . and God said . . .” (Gen. 1:1, 3; see also D&C 93:6-12). It also echoes the portrayals of Jesus in other early Christian hymns, such as those preserved in Philippians 2:6-11 and especially in Colossians 1:15-17.”

Here is my first question. Isn’t John 1:1 declaring that the individual “Person” of the Word (Logos) has more than just a close connection with God but that He is of the same substance as God (Theos)?

Also, in the book, the LDS authors have a large highlighted section on the great “I Am” titles for Jesus. Concerning Exodus 3;14, they write, “The Greek Septuagint renders ‘I AM that I Am’ as ego eimi ho en, creating a strong verbal echo with John’s ‘I Am’ sayings, each of which begins with ego eimi.” Then they list seven powerful statements by Jesus in the Gospel of John (John 6:35, 51; 8:12; 10:7-9; 10:11-14; 11:25; 14:6; and 15:1-5) and finally conclude with the crescendo of John 8:56-58.

Here is my second question on Jesus’ words in John 8:58, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” Is Jesus saying here, “Before Abraham came into existence, I came into existence before the creation of the world”? Or is the Lord saying, “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been throughout eternity the self-existent One”?

Thinking of heart issues

The opening statement of the Gospel of John declares, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Recently, I did a survey in the neighborhood around our chapel house in the introduction of our Sunday morning study in John’s Gospel, asking three questions. 1. Who or what do you think is the word in John 1:1? 2. If the Word is Jesus, has He eternally existed before the creation of the world? 3. Is Jesus of the same essence or the same being as the Father? The answers among LDS friends greatly varied.

Here are some quick observations about the three phrases in John 1:1.

The first phrase . . .

1. “Was” establishes a continuous state, an eternal self-existence. We have no creation stories of our Logos (the incarnate second Person of the Trinity) in comparison to the gods of Greek mythology.

The second phrase . . .

1. There is loving, reciprocal community. Look at the interaction between the two “Persons” or “states of consciousness.” The translation of “with” is used often in the Scripture to show the connection of personal relationship.

2. But the phrase does not declare that there is an essential change, a division of being (ontological) between Logos and Theos. The Son and Father are one God.

The third phrase . . .

1. You don’t need a definite article in front of God (the theos is anarthrous – no article) to establish that the Word is 100% God. This is common in a predicate nominative construction (John 1:49). In fact, the insertion of the definite article would not be accurate. The Word by Himself does not make up the entire Godhead (Tasker).

2. And if people wish to proclaim that the Word was only participating in the divine nature of the Father, why didn’t the Holy Spirit use the Greek word, theios (2 Peter 1:4) instead of theos? Clearly, you and I might be able by grace to become spiritually one with the Word. But that is the extent. Unlike the Word, we do not become theos, on eternal par with the Triune God. Never will be.

3. Note the Greek order of the words in this last phrase of John 1:1. Kai theos en ho logos. And God was the Word.

I love a Jesus, who is the eternal, always in existence Logos, an “absolute, supratemporal reality in existence.” This is the One who came in the flesh to die for you and me. Amazing, isn’t it?

Thinking of heart issues

From time to time, I browse through one of the several, local LDS bookstores. The music is eclectic, soothing, jazzy, contemporary rock, and at other times liturgical. It is always interesting to overhear from time to time, certain lyrics from some of the latest contemporary Christian bands played as background music in the stores. But let me share with you one of my all time favorite songs purchased from Deseret Bookstore.

If you don’t have the Easter CD, Consider the Lilies, from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, I highly encourage you to purchase the dawnlike performance. On this CD, there is one song, Jesu, the Very Thought Is Sweet, I could easily listen da capo. It moves me to tears. I have possessed this CD since its production, and that particular song still stands among my top religious favorites. The Christ-centered words are timeless and carefully wrapped in one of the most beautifully melodic arrangements that I have ever heard. Furthermore, I am extremely thankful for the reverential rendition of this sacred song.

In Jesu, the Very Thought Is Sweet, Bernard of Clairvaux enthrones Jesus Christ beyond any earthly repute. Meditate afresh on the ancient poetry:

—-

“Jesu, the very thought is sweet; In that dear Name all heartjoys meet; But O than honey sweeter far The glimpses of His Presence are.

No word is sung more sweet than this; No name is heard more full of bliss; No thought brings sweeter comfort nigh, Than Jesus, Son of God most high.

Jesu, the hope of souls forlorn! How good to them for sin that mourn! To them that seek thee, O how kind! But what art thou to them that find?

Jesu, thou sweetness, pure and blest, Life’s Fountain, Light of souls distress’d; Surpassing all that heart requires, Exceeding all that soul desires.

No tongue of mortal can express, No letters write its blessedness; Alone who hath thee in his heart Knows, love of Jesus, what thou art.”

—-

The instruments of the orchestra drop out on the fourth stanza. And then emotions of the human heart come to a climax on the fifth. In a blaze of glory, these words point the way to the chief Person whom I would like to write about in upcoming entries.

Thinking of heart issues