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Contra Stavrinides
by Frank Nelte

APPENDIX #4: THE GREEK PREPOSITION "PROS" AND JOHN 1:1

  1. There are 18 different prepositions in the Greek N.T., one of them (i.e. AMPHI) is used only in compositions and is rare in classical Greek. That leaves 17 others. Each one governs specific cases of a noun.
  2. "PROS" governs three cases ... the Genitive, Dative and Accusative. It is a strengthened form of the preposition "PRO".
  3. In the N.T. it is used 726 times. In the KJV it is trans-lated as follows:

    These different renderings into English do illustrate that the word has a broader application than any single one equivalent English word. But this does not necessarily make it a difficult word to understand.

  4. Let's compare some of these prepositions to illustrate their meanings:

    "PRO" (the root word of "pros") denotes the position as being in sight, or before one in: place, time or superiority.

    "PROS" denotes to, or, towards, implying onward motion.

    "PARA" means beside, or, alongside of.

    When "pros" and "para" are compared:

  5. With all three cases the general meaning of "PROS" is the motive, i.e. the stimulus to action.

    With the GENITIVE it means "in consideration of". It is used only one time with the Genitive ... in Acts 27:34.

    Wherefore I pray you to take [some] meat: for this is FOR your health (Gk. safety): for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. (Acts 27:34)

    Some scholars feel that in the expression "for this is FOR your safety" (Greek "touto gar PROS tês humeteras sôtêrias huparchei") "pros" is used with the ABLATIVE MEANING of "from the side of". Thus it either means "in consideration of your safety" or "from the side of your safety". In our discussion this is inconsequential (anyway, Greek has no Ablative case as such).

  6. With the DATIVE it means "in addition to" anything, as an act. It is usually translated as "at". It is used only five times with the Dative: Luke 19:37; John 18:16; John 20:12(2x); Revelation 1:13. Here are these five verses:
    And when he was come nigh, even now AT the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; (Luke 19:37)

    "AT the descent" is the translation of "PROS têi katabasei".

    But Peter stood AT the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. (John 18:16)
    And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one AT the head, and the other AT the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. (John 20:12, used twice in this verse)
    And in the midst of the seven candlesticks [one] like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt ABOUT the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation 1:13)

    "ABOUT the paps" is translated from "PROS tois mastois", meaning "AT the breasts".

  7. The remaining 720 occurrences are with the ACCUSATIVE case. With this case "pros" means:

    "with a view to anything, as an end".

    In the N.T. THIS is by far the overwhelming usage. It also includes the verses we are specifically examining: John 1:1 and IJohn 1:1-2.

  8. First let's look at a few of these 720 places where "pros" is used with the Accusative case and where the meaning is very clear. In each case I have typed the phrase in which "pros" is used in capital letters for easier identification.
    And now also the axe is laid UNTO THE ROOT of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (Matthew 3:10)
    Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan UNTO JOHN, to be baptized of him. (Matthew 3:13)
    COME UNTO ME, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)139.
    And great multitudes were GATHERED TOGETHER UNTO HIM, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. (Matthew 13:2)
    And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went UNTO THEM, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25)
    And his sisters, are they not all WITH US? Whence then hath this [man] all these things? (Matthew 13:56)
    In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief WITH SWORDS and staves for to take me? I sat daily WITH YOU teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. (Matthew 26:55) (used twice in this verse)
    And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned AMONG THEMSELVES, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine [is] this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. (Mark 1:27)
    But Jesus withdrew himself WITH HIS DISCIPLES to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, (Mark 3:7)

    This should suffice to give us "a feel" for the word "pros" when it is used in the Accusative case.

  9. There are very many Greek compound words which incorporate the word "PROS". Again, this illustrates that "PROS" is a common word, which can be readily understood. Here are some Greek compound words which include the word "PROS".
    1. "PROSOPON", which means "FACE", comes from the two words PROS (towards) + OPS (the eye). So in Greek the word "face" is "that which is towards the eyes". This word also means "PERSON".
    2. "PROSKEPHALAION", which means "PILLOW", comes from the words PROS (to or towards) + KEPHALE (a head). So in Greek "a pillow" is "that which goes to the head".
    3. "PROSKAIROS", which means "TEMPORAL", comes from the words PROS (to or for) + KAIROS (a season). So in Greek something that is "temporal" is "for a season".
    4. "PROSKUNEO", which means "TO WORSHIP", comes from the words PROS (towards) + KUNEO (to kiss). So in Greek "to worship" means literally "to kiss towards (as an act of reverence and homage)".
    5. "PROSKOPTO", which means "TO STRIKE AGAINST", comes from the words PROS (to or against) + KOPTO (to strike). In Matt. 7:27 it is used for a storm beating upon a house.
  10. Now let's look at John 1:1. ** **** ** * ***** *** * ***** ** **** *** **** *** **** ** * ***** (John 1:1 [Editor's note: Sorry, Greek text cannot be displayed in HTML])

    Translated in the same word order this reads:

    "In beginning was the Word and the Word was WITH the God and God was the Word."

    The expression "with the God" is the Greek phrase "PROS TON THEON", the Accusative case. Two separate individuals are implied ... being WITH each other, face to face.

    There is no reason anywhere in this verse to question the correctness of the translation ... "and the Word was WITH God".

  11. Notice an example of a TRIPLE use of "pros" in one verse.
    For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then FACE TO FACE: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (ICorinthians 13:12)

    The expression "face to face" in Greek is "prosôpon pros prosôpon". It could equally well be translated as "PERSON TO PERSON". The word "prosopon" means "a person", but only in as far as that "person" has a face with "eyes". Something that is faceless, shapeless and without eyes cannot be a "prosopon" ... it cannot be something called "towards the eyes".

    This verse also implies that in the resurrection we will see WITH OUR FACES other beings WITH FACES ... which have EYES!

  12. Now let's look at IJohn 1:1.
    That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (IJohn 1:1)

    Here John employs a fourfold repetition of "that which" (Greek is "ho") to show that Jesus Christ was a physical person who could be "HEARD, SEEN and TOUCHED". This verse is an obvious reference to Jesus Christ.

    Here in IJohn 1:1 John refers to Christ with the words "OF LIFE" (Greek is "tês zôês"). In his gospel in John 1:4 he called Christ "THE LIFE" (Greek is "hê zôê"), which is also how Jesus Christ referred to Himself in John 11:25 and in John 14:6. 141.

    Here is the next verse:

    (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (IJohn 1:2)

    John here makes a parenthetical statement, as he had also done in John 1:14. It is to ADD REASSURANCE to his previous statement that Jesus Christ, who had lived as a mortal man, was indeed the Son of God who has always co-existed with the Father. John opens and closes this parenthetical statement with "was manifested" (Greek is "ephanerôthê") to further emphasise that the apostles had indeed seen and heard and touched Jesus.

    The subject of verse 1 is Jesus Christ and there is no change of subject in verse 2. It is still Jesus Christ.

    The expressions John uses also bear this out.

    John is not talking about something intangible called "life", but about AN INDIVIDUAL who referred to Himself, among other things, as "THE LIFE" ... JESUS CHRIST! In the next verse John continues to talk about "SEEING and HEARING". He then identifies the two individuals he is speaking about ... THE FATHER and JESUS CHRIST.

    That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship WITH us: and truly our fellowship [is] WITH THE FATHER, AND WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. (IJohn 1:3)

    In this verse the word "WITH" is all three times the Greek word "META", which denotes association and companionship with!

    This verse shows we can have fellowship with TWO different individuals ... with the Father and Jesus Christ. There is no such thing as fellowship "WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT", because the Holy Spirit is not a "person" (Pasadena does not mind using the word "person" in reference to the Holy Spirit).

    In the same way as we in the Church, who are separate different individuals, can have fellowship with one another, so also can we have fellowship with God the Father and with Jesus Christ. The word "FELLOWSHIP" implies several different individuals inter-acting in meaningful relationships.

  13. It is Dr. Stavrinides who tells us that when something in the Bible is not clear to us, then we are "SAFE" to take it as a figure of speech. Here in IJohn 1:2 John is very clearly using a figure of speech which is called "METONYMY ... when one noun is used in place of another to which it stands in a certain relationship. John uses the noun "LIFE" (which we have SEEN!) to refer to JESUS CHRIST (through whom we can have access to eternal life; and Christ had plainly said that He is "THE LIFE"). It is clear that a figure of speech is being used because it is impossible to read this verse literally ... "life" is not something we can "see".
  14. Thus, when we understand what the first three verses of I John are actually telling us, then the use of the preposition "PROS" clearly means "WITH" in verse 2, just as much as it does in John 1:1.143.

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