From: WINBROW@aol.com
Date: Mon Aug 21 1995 - 20:27:35 EDT
Carl Conrad translated John 20:31,
"But this has been written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and so that, as you continue to believe, you may
continue to possess life everlasting in his name."
I agree with his understanding of the meaning of the brackets and with his
understanding of the tense of the purpose clauses. I think that he is right
that they are related in the sentence as he has translated. I would modify
the translation only by leaving out the implied condition. "But this has
been written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and so that you may possess life everlasting in his name."
John's use of ZWHN or ZWHN AIWNIOS assumes a continuity beginning in this
life and extending beyond it. That is further emphasized by the use of the
present tense. I do think that John sees possessing life as resulting from
coming to faith, but I would not necessarily see a conditional relationship
there, maybe sequential. Maybe I'm getting too much theology in my exegesis.
Carlton Winbery
Fogleman Prof. NT & Greek
LA College, Pineville, LA
(318) 487-7241 Fax (318) 487-7425 off. or (318) 442-4996 home
Winbrow@aol.com or Winbery@andria.lacollege.edu
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