From: c stirling bartholomew (cc.constantine@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Tue Jun 26 2001 - 22:40:07 EDT
on 6/26/01 4:06 PM, Brandon C Wason wrote:
> I've heard arguments for certain doctrines based on the usage of ALLOS and
> hETEROS. ALLOS can mean, supposedly, "another of the same kind," while
> hETEROS can mean "another of a different kind." LSJ seems to support the
> latter definition, while I couldn't really find support for the first
> definition (In addition to LSJ I also used BDAG). Basically, can ALLOS mean
> "another of the same kind" anywhere, and was this still being used in the
> first century? Secondly, was hETEROS still being used (at least partly) as
> "another of the different kind" in the first century? Thirdly, is there a
> *basis* for drawing a doctrinal conclusion from these types of word usages?
>
> The verse I had in mind was John 14:16. Here it says that Father will give
> another (ALLOS) Counselor- thus (so the argument goes) the Spirit is of the
> same kind (nature?) as the Son. I'm not trying to start a theological
> discussion...it's obviously not the right place for that. I am looking for
> word usage and the *principle* of drawing theological conclusions from the
> word usage. I don't want your interpretations of the verse. Thanks for your
> thoughts.
>
> Sincerely...
> _______________________
> Brandon C. Wason
> PO Box 646
> Yorba Linda, CA 92885
> brandonwason@calvarychapel.com
Greetings Brandon,
I looked at several discussions of ALLON PARAKLHTON in Jn 14:16, including
BF Westcott, H. Alford, HAW Meyer, L. Morris, DA Carson). Most of these had
extensive discussions of ALLON PARAKLHTON, Westcott's went on for several
pages, but only DA Carson mentioned the ALLOS/hETEROS issue and he
discounted it for the following reasons (see pages 266-7, 499-500 in Gospel
of John, DA Carson, Pillar series, 1991).
This distinction:
>ALLOS "another of the same kind,"
> hETEROS "another of a different kind"
Does not hold up in Johannine usage. hETEROS is only used once in the the
fourth gospel, Jn 19:37 where it appears to have a sense indistinguishable
from the classical use of ALLOS. The use of ALLOS in Jn 5:32 raises the same
question as Jn 14:16, but observe the use of ALLOS again in the same
context Jn 5:43 where it cannot mean "another of the same kind." So the
ALLOS/hETEROS opposition breaks down in John's Gospel. Carson in and
additional note on Jn 5:31-32 (page 277) concludes "no Christological weight
can rest on this choice of pronoun."
> I am looking for word usage and the *principle* of drawing theological
> conclusions from the word usage.
The lexical semantics of pronouns is a slippery slope on which to build
theology of any kind. I would be glad to talk with you about this in
private.
--
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062
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