168) Dwelt in Us, or Dwelt Among Us?
About this episode
The episode explores alternative interpretations of John 1:14 regarding the concept of God dwelling in humanity versus among humanity.
In this podcast I focus on a few additional interpretive issues of specific words in John 1:14 that mainstream Christians interpret as evidence that God became man.The verb σκηνόω (dwell, tabernacle) is not used of God elsewhere in the Septuagint, while its New Testament occurrences do not naturally support the idea of God incarnating himself in a human body. The traditional translation "dwelt among us" is possible, but it is not the only way to interpret and translate John 1:14. The Greek preposition ἐν ordinarily means "in," and John's Gospel repeatedly uses “in” to describe relationship rather than spatial proximity. John's own usage of "in us," "in me," and "in you" consistently points toward personal relationship, not spatial proximity. John 1:14 can be understood as the Word dwelt “in us”, describing the human person Jesus, the Word, becoming life giving provision and sustenance for others. Such an interpretation fits naturally within John's broader theology of indwelling as a relationship with the Messiah that brings about life.The evidence from John's Gospel, the Septuagint, and the wider New Testament suggests that…
People in this episode
Host: William Schlegel
Topics covered
- interpretation of scripture
- incarnation
- John's Gospel
- theology
- relationship with the Messiah
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: John 1:14, Septuagint, New Testament
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