Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel
Now. Where is Andy? The other half of this verse needs some sleuthing!  |
Then appears Andy, as if from no place. Read into that what you like.
I really like, and thoroughly agree with, the comments so far - especially u-dogs on the cosmos. I think Daniel summed it up quite well.
Technically, for what that is worth, the Greek reads
ego eimi with
eimi being a verb in the present tense. The best translation I've found is "I am the one who is", which is similar to God's claim to divinity. The first part of the sentence would be, then, "I am the one who is the way, the truth and the life, ..." but as has been mentioned in a somewhat esoteric sense. Claim to divinity - maybe. Claim to universality - maybe. Claim to exclusivity - not there.
As to the rest of the sentence and the interpretation of the Gnosticland Express (btw, John is about as Gnostic as they come):
Erchetai is, indeed, present tense. Greek verb tenses are all about action - most notably about when actions occur. The present tense denotes ongoing present action that is not finished - in essence, it is happening in real time. There are other tenses (aorist & imperfect) that signify action that may continue into the future. The article is right, therefore, in that it would be difficult to interpret this as continuing for all time.
Throughout scripture Jesus points the way to God, not to himself. All glory is to God - all worship is of God. Christ-centric worship is a later development. The sense is that Jesus is a way to God, but nowhere have I read anything compelling that says Jesus is the only way to God. I accept that Jesus is MY way to God, but that my way is not to be universalized.
Does this add anything to the conversation?