Case Study: The Importance of The Subject In John 1:1

Pastor Eric DoumaSunday SchoolOctober 21, 2012

Bible Verse Diagrams Defined

“…the diagnosis of a sentence into its separate parts (words, phrases, clauses), and carefully scrutinizing each part in its relation to the whole. When analysis is objectified in the form of a written diagram, it pictures relationships”(Owen L. Crouch, Expository Preaching and Teaching).

Introduction To Diagrams

Subject: Noun, or noun equivalent

Predicate: That which is said of the subject (verbs, adverbial modifiers, and complements)

Direct object: The receiver of the predicate (verb)

John 11:35 Jesus wept.

John 11:5 Jesus loved Martha.

The Importance of Subject/Object Distinction

John 1:32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.”

Subject? He (the Spirit)

Verb? remained

Direct object? Him

He = Him

Basics of Diagramming

Subject Verb Direct Object Indirect Object

He hit ball room

the into

the

Basics of Diagramming

For with the result that

God loved world He gave Son

so the His

only begotten

“in this way”

Determine The Subject First!

Subjects in Greek

1. Nouns: John, camel, etc.

2. Personal pronouns: He, she, we, it, etc.

3. Relative pronouns: Who, which

4. Indefinite pronouns: someone, anyone, many, etc.

5. “Verbal nouns” Example: “I write”

6. Adjectives

7. Participles = “verbal adjectives”

Different Cases in Greek

Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives

Nominative case: Subject

Genitive case: Possession

Accusative case: Direct object

Dative case: Indirect object

Using The Interlinear

John 3:16

For   God   so   loved   the   world,

γὰρ ὁ  θεὸς οὕτως ἠγάπησεν τὸν κόσμον T RNSM NNSM D VF3SAIA RASM NASM

Confusion Over The SubjectSome sentences have two words in the nominative

case that are linked by a verb of being (is, are, etc.)

“I am He”The P.N. describes a larger category to which the

subject belongs. “Earl Campbell is a running back”In English the subject is determined by word order,

but this is not the case in Greek.

1. Pronoun priority (or implied pronoun in the verb)

2. Subject has the definite article (the)

3. Subject is a proper name

1. Pronoun Priority

Matthew 3:17

This   is   my   beloved   Son,

οὗτός ἐστιν μου ὁ ἀγαπητός ὁ υἱός

PDNSM VF3SPIA PPGS RNSM,JNSM RNSM,NNSM

2. Subject Has The Article

John 4:24

God   is   spirit,

ὁ θεός • πνεῦμα

RNSM, NNSM   NNSN

πνεῦμα ὁ θεός

3. Subject Has Proper Name

James 5:17

Elijah   was   a man

Ἠλίας ἦν ἄνθρωπος

NNSM VF3SIIA   NNSM

Ἠλίας ἄνθρωπος ἦν

Case Study: John 1:1Sabellianism (Oneness Pentacostals) = There exists

one God in one person.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

The Word

God

John 1:1 and   the Word   was   God

καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν θεὸς

C RNSM NNSM VF3SIIA NNSM

καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

1. Colwell’s rule = eliminates Arianism!

2. Lack of article before “θεὸς” = eliminates Sabellianism!