Let me start by saying that for now, we must let go of what we think is "proper." It's the only way we can see everything through to the finish.
This site examines Christ's words in the ancient Greek offering an alternative view of how those words can be translated into today's English. It discusses any shades of meaning lost in translation trying to recapture the eternal freshness of Christ's message.
Home
Latest Verse
Jhn 7:16 My doctrine is not mine,
Jhn 7:16 My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
The teaching from me is not from me but rather from the one who sent me.
As is so often the case, Christ makes his statement in an entertaining way, describing his teaching as his only to say that it is not his. This idea is emphasized by the fact he uses the same Greek form of the same word that is translated as "me" and "mine" in English.
This is the first time that Christ uses the word translated here as "doctrine." It means literally, "what is taught." It is not anything as formal as our idea of a doctrine.
The word translated as "sent" here (pempo) is less formal than the more commonly used apostellô, the word from which we take "apostle." John is the only Gospel in which this word appears, but he uses it a lot, not only to refer to the Father sending Christ but also to the sending of the "Comforter" (Holy Spirit).
Ἡ ἐμὴ "My" is from emos, which means "mine," "of me," "my," "relating to me," and "against me."
διδαχὴ "Doctrine is from didachē, which means "teaching," "regulations" [military], and "discipline."
οὐκ "Not" is from οὐ ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both singles words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
ἔστιν (3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is from eimi (eimi), which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," and "is possible." (The future form is esomai. The 3rd person present indicative is "esti.")
ἐμὴ "Mine" is from emos, which means "mine," "of me," "my," "relating to me," and "against me."
ἀλλὰ "But" is from alla (alla), which means "otherwise," "but," "still," "at least," "except," "yet," nevertheless," "rather," "moreover," and "nay." It denotes an exception or a simple opposition.
τοῦ πέμψαντός (part sg aor act masc gen) "His that sent" is from pempo, which means "send," "send forth," "send away," "conduct," and "escort."
The contradiction: what is mine is not mine.
Christ's Words Posts in Verse Order
- Gospel of John: Most recent posts in current format.
- Gospel of Mark: Almost entire Gospel with later posts in current format.
- Gospel of Matthew: Complete Gospel but more primitive posts, being updated through the In His Own Words project.
Christ: In His Own Words
Imagine Christ addressing an audience today describing his life and message.
I let everything go by walking into the desert. After a little while I was so hungry that I was tempted to eat stones, but I discovered that, God's words filled me with more life than food ever could.
Filled with God's word, I was tempted to test the powers that I discovered within myself by braving death, but those same words told me that we cannot test the source of my power, God.
God has the power to test us, We don't have the power to test him.
Thinking about my being the Christ, the Messiah, I was tempted use my power to free my people, rule a kingdom, build an empire, maybe even write a book. I saw that these desires were my person demons.
I put my demons out of my mind, humbling myself to my Father's will, putting Him above everything else.
Most Recent Verses
Jhn 7:16 My doctrine is not mine,
The teaching from me is not from me but rather from the one who sent me.
Jhn 7:8 Go ye up unto this feast:
"You go on up to the festival. I'm not taking this holiday yet because my calendar isn't quite open yet."
Jhn 7:7 The world cannot hate you;
"There is no reason for society to give you grief you, but it doesn't care for me because I complain about it and the fact that its efforts are worthless."
Jhn 7:6 My time is not yet come:
I don't really have an opportunity yet but your group always has the time.
Jhn 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven
This is why the loaf is coming out of heaven. [It is] not how the forefathers ate and died. The one munching this loaf shall be full of life until an epoch.
Jhn 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven
This is why the loaf is coming out of heaven. [It is] not how the forefathers ate and died. The one munching this loaf shall be full of life until an epoch.
Jhn 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me
Because the living father sent me, I live because of Him, and the one munching me in that way will live because of me.
Jhn 6:56 He that eateth my flesh,
The one tasting my physical being and sharing my kinship remains with me and I with him.
Jhn 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed,
This [is] because my physical body is a true meal and my blood is a true party.
Jhn 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,
The [one] of mine grazing on the physical and soaking in kinship holds perpetual life, and I might rouse him to action on the final day.
Jhn 6:53 V...Except ye eat the flesh
I am teaching you the real truth. If you do not partake of physical being of the child of humanity and soak up [or celebrate] the same kinship, you all do not hold the life within yourselves.
Jhn 6:51 I am the living bread
I am the bread, the living [one], the [one] stepping down from the universal. If anyone might have partaken from this bread, he shall live until the epoch. But the bread, on the other hand, that I will give is my physical existence on behalf of the life of the world order.
Jhn 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down
This is why the loaf is coming down from heaven: in order that anyone might eat of it and might not die.
Jhn 6:49 Your fathers did eat manna
Those forefathers of yours took in desolation the granules [of food] and they did die.
Jhn 6:48 I am that bread of life.
I exist [as] the bread of existence.
