XARIN ANTI XARITOS
Arto Hoikkala (hoikkala@myy.helia.fi)
Sat, 30 May 1998 03:51:56 +0200 (EET)
Dear B-GREEKers,
I started a short journey through the first chapter of John. Then I hit
verse 16 and it's "KAI XARIN ANTI XARITOS". Many translations seem to
understand this like "and grace and even more grace" ("grace upon grace").
How is it so? I can't figure out why ANTI is translated like that.
Anyway, here's how I have understood this verse.
John 1:16 (GNT)
hOTI EK TOU PLHRWMATOS AUTOU hHMEIS PANTES ELABOMEN KAI XARIN ANTI XARITOS
My translation:
"For of his fulness we all have received -- also grace for grace."
AFAIK, "grace" in the Bible is sometimes just an eloquent word for "favor",
for XARIS is "favor". So ELABOMEN KAI XARIN ANTI XARITOS means that we have
received grace/favor from Christ for favor that we have given to Christ.
Question: "How have we given favor to Christ and how have we received it?"
is answered in verse 12.
We have given favor to Christ:
We have received him (as who he is) by believing in his name.
We have received grace/favor from Christ:
He has given us right/power to be children of God.
What do you think? Have I missed something?
Arto