Why Language is Important...Or Why Greek is Awesome

Please note that I have very little knowledge of New Testament Greek. So if I am incorrect about something below please know that it was not intentional. Ok now that I've put that out there let's discuss something awesome.

Today in Greek class we were discussing John 1:1-5 in the original language of Greek, which is awesome I might add. We've learned enough in our class thus far that we can at least recognize a good portion of what it going on. 

Here is how the HCSB reads "¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. ⁴ Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it." I've just started using the Holman Christian Standard Bible and I really like it in some places although I'm normally an ESV guy, and here is one of those places. 

Before we go any further let's discuss something about Greek. In Greek verbs can express different time periods when an actions occurred as well as the way the action has occurred, is occuring or will occur. This is called the Tense and Voice. Thus far we've only learned a small portion of these, but something significant was pointed out in class today by our professor about this particular passage and it comes out in the HCSB. 

If you notice in the passage everything is in the past tense except shines, which is exactly how it occurs in the Greek. The tense and voice express that it is a continuing action and everything else is a past occurence. It as if John is saying "this all happened in the past but the light is shining up until today and will continue to shine indefinitely." This is something John's original readers would have picked up on immediately. If you also notice it is clear that the darkness tried to overcome the light in the past but failed. 

Now I'm not an expert at interpretting Greek passages but this struck me today. The light is continuing to shine even till today and the darkness tried to overcome it but failed. Jesus is the light of the world that continues to shine today and the darkness can't do anything about it. It tried once but it failed. If that is the case why are we affriad to speak up about the light? Why do we let things concern us when the light has overcome the most powerful thing that is in the world? 

Here is my encouragement to you...consider how the Light continuing to shine changes the way you live. What will you change because the Light is shining and nothing, I mean nothing, can overcome it? 

 

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