THE PROLOGUE
OUTLINE
39
IN
(1) The order of the words. - In the second sentence of the first
verse the original is: Ho logos en pros ton Theon (`The Word was
toward the God'). In the third sentence, however, the order of the
words is reversed, Kai Theos en ho logos (`And God was the Word').
This change of order is an example of the figure called in Greek
Hyperbaton (`To step over') and in English `Transposition'.
`Special attention is desired for some particular word. Placed in its
ordinary and usual position, it may not be noticed. But, put out of
its usual and placed at the beginning, instead of at the end of a
sentence, it is impossible for the reader not to be arrested by it' (Dr.
Bullinger's `Figures of Speech').
The particular word brought into prominence in this case is Theos.
The figure therefore emphasises the fact that the One Who is revealed
under the title Ho Logos is Himself truly and essentially `God'. With a
few exceptions, we may tell which is the subject or the predicate of a
sentence by the presence or absence of the article. In all three clauses
here it is `The Word' that is the subject:
`THE WORD'. - He it is Who was in the beginning.
`THE WORD'. - He it is Who was with God.
`THE WORD'. - He it is Who was God.
Parallel with this last form of expression is that found in 4:24,
Pneuma ho Theos. Literally, this would be `Spirit the God', but if we
render it so that the English reader will get the same effect as the
original would give to a Greek, we should have: `God is (as to His
essence) SPIRIT' (not `a spirit'). So in 1:1, `The Word was (as to His
essence) GOD' (not `a god').
(2) The absence of the article. - There are some who would
translate it thus: `The Word was a God', because Theos is without the
article. The following references, however, all of which occur in the
prologue, will be enough to show the incorrectness of such a
translation.
`There was a man sent from a God' (6).
`Power to become children of a God' (12).
`Which were born of a God' (13).
`No man hath seen a God at any time' (18).