On Mon, 25 Sep, Mark Wilson wrote, ------------------------------------------------ I John 1:7 EAN DE EN TWi FWTI PERIPATWMEN hWS AUTOS ESTIN EN TWi FWTI, KOINWNIAN ECOMEN MET ALLHLWN KAI TO hAIMA IHSOU TOU hUIOU AUTOU KAQARIZEI hHMAS APO PASHS hAMARTIAS I have two questions here: 1. MET ALLHLWN Would this MET ALLHLWN refer to: a) believer with God b) believer with believer. c) grammatically, it could be either d) grammatically, it could be both ------------------------------------------------- I think, Mark, that this must be determined from context, as syntax is only part of understanding Scripture. While it is true that 1:3 mentions the fellowship which believers have with one another, it concludes by stating that "our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. Having said this, the apostle then describes the message which we have learned from this God whom we seek to have such fellowship with, viz, that God is light, and to have fellowship with Him, we must walk in the light that He is in. Though it is true there are other believers that we shall share this fellowship with, the main idea seems to be vertical rather than horizontal fellowship. Your second question is relative: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- 2. KAQARIZEI The Present tense seems to relate this cleansing as occurring simultaneous with EAN DE EN TWi FWTI PERIPATWMEN. Is this correct? As we walk in the light, we are being cleansed from sin? What I am having a hard time understanding is later (Chapter 3) when John indicates that we can not sin (presumably while we are walking in the light). Assuming this correct, are there any grammatical/syntactical indicators that would resolve this "apparent" contradiction? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- In a conditional sentence, such as 1:7, the contingency lies only in the apodosis (the first phrase), while the protasis conveys a more certain meaning. If the apodosis is true, then the protasis follows. In this case, the apodosis sets forth the hypothetical situation of "walking in the light as He Himself is in the light." If this happens to be the case, then two things which are true follow: first, having fellowship with the Father and the Son, and second, continual cleansing of all sin. The latter relates to Christ's office as our High Priest in heaven, who forever lives to make intercession for us. He is High Priest to His people, the church of Jesus Christ. he does not continually intercede on behalf of those who walk in the darkness (walking being one's manner of living) for, as the prophet writes in Heb. 10:26-31, there is no sacrifice for sin in the case of those who willfully continue in their sinful ways. And this is the reason that John follows in verse 1 John 1:8 by writing, "If we say that we have no sin..." and in verse 9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS." John does not say in chap. 3 that we cannot sin, but that we cannot continue to sin, viz, freely, intentionally, and willfully. The mark of a true and growing Christian is that of struggling against the corruption in the flesh, because he has been regenerated in spirit, and no longer gives freedom "to the flesh to fulfil its lusts." Rev. Steven Poelman spoelman1@juno.com --- B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu