Re: John 3:32, LAMBANW

Jonathan Robie (jwrobie@mindspring.com)
Wed, 11 Dec 1996 12:19:55 -0500

At 11:52 AM 12/11/96 -0500, Mario Latendresse wrote:
>
>All translation of verse 3:32 of John that I have read gives something
>like: (french and english)
>
> JOH 3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no
> man receiveth his testimony.
>
>I have doubts about the second part, that is
>
> and no man receiveth his testimony.
>
>Could it be instead translated in such way to express the idea that
>`no man can overtake his testimony' or that `no man can replace his
>testimony'. In other words the evangelist would say that his testimony
>cannot be replace by any man testimony. That would be based on the
>verb LAMBANW that has this meaning if the actual context supports
>it. ( Moreover the context of that verse would actually support this
>translation. )

The word LAMBANW is actually used twice in John 3:32 and John 3:33:

John 3:32 (GNT) hO EWRAKEN KAI HKOUSEN TOUTO MARTUREI, KAI THN MARTURIAN
AUTOU OUDEIS **LAMBANEI**. 33 hO **LABWN** AUTOU THN MARTURIAN ESFRAGISEN
hOTI hO QEOS ALHQHS ESTIN.

The first verse tells us that nobody LAMBANEI his message, the second says
that whoever *has* LAMBANEId his message confirms that God is true. You
suggest two possibilities - let's try them, together with the traditional one:

1. Receive:

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his
testimony. The one who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.

2. Overtake

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one overtakes his
testimony. The one who has overtaken it has certified that God is truthful.
(I don't know what this means)

3. Replace

He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one replaces his
testimony. The one who has replaced it has certified that God is truthful.
(I know what this means, but it implies that the testimony of Jesus would
have to be replaced to certify that God is truthful, and this doesn't fit
John's understanding of the relationship between Jesus and God.)

So I think I'll side with the traditional interpretation here.

Jonathan

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