ÿþ<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <title>&quot;Fullness of the Divine Quality&quot; in Colossians 2:9</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=unicode"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-gb"> <meta name="keywords" content="Jehovah's Witnesses, New World Translation, Jehovah's Witnesses Defended, Jehovas Zeugen, Témoins de Jéhovah, Testigos de Jehova."> <meta name="description" content="Defence of Jehovah's Witnesses, their doctrines and their New World Translation against critics."> <link rel=stylesheet type="text/css" href="style.css"> <style> <!-- span.MsoFootnoteReference {vertical-align:super;} span.def-sensenum1 {color:#333333; font-weight:bold} span.def-grammar1 {color:#333333; font-style:normal} span.cald-definition1 {color:#003399; font-style:normal} span.cald-example1 {color:#333333; font-style:italic} .msg {display:inline-block}.mb {font-size:80%;padding:6 8 0 14;width:100%}.cb {background-image:url('http://gmail.google.com/gmail/images/card_left.gif');background-position: left 50%;background-repeat:repeat-y;border-right:1px solid #e8e8e8;}div.Section1 {page:Section1;} h4 {margin-top:0cm; margin-right:0cm; margin-bottom:12.0pt; margin-left:0cm; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Tahoma; font-weight:normal} --> </style> </head> <body bottommargin="0" leftmargin="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" rightmargin="0" topmargin="0" background="background.jpg"> <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td width="148" height="111"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><IMG height=111 alt="" src="topleft.jpg" width=148 border=0></FONT></td> <td width="100%" height="111" background="topbg.jpg"> <font face="Trebuchet MS"><!----- Insert your logo below ------------------------------------------> </font> <span lang="en-gb"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><FONT color=#0080ff size=7><EM><STRONG>Bible Translation and Study</STRONG></EM></FONT>&nbsp;<!-----------------------------------------------------------------------> </FONT> </span> </td> </tr> </table> <table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td width="96"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><IMG height=1 alt="" src="spcr.jpg" width=96 border=0></FONT></td> <td width="100%"> <table width="100%" cellpadding="15" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td> <h3 align="center"><font face="Trebuchet MS" size="5">&quot;The Fullness of the Divine Quality&quot; in Colossians 2:9</font></h3> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>The <i>New World Translation </i>is often criticised for its rendering of Colossians 2:9, shown below for comparison in a number of translations:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse; border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt' bgcolor="#DDFFEF"> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Greek<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EL'>&#959;&#964;&#953; &#949;&#957; &#945;&#965;&#964;&#969; &#954;&#945;&#964;&#959;&#953;&#954;&#949;&#953; &#960;&#945;&#957; &#964;&#959; &#960;&#955;&#951;&#961;&#969;&#956;&#945; &#964;&#951;&#962; <span style='color:red'>&#952;&#949;&#959;&#964;&#951;&#964;&#959;&#962;</span></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> [<i>theotetos</i>, from <i>theotes</i>] </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EL'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>&#963;&#969;&#956;&#945;&#964;&#953;&#954;&#969;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>NWT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>because it is in him that all the fullness of the <span style='color:red'>divine quality</span> dwells bodily</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>KJV<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the <span style='color:red'>Godhead</span> bodily.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>NIV<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For in Christ all the fulness of the <span style='color:red'>Deity</span> lives in bodily form</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Vulgate<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>quia in ipso inhabitat omnis plenitudo <span style='color:red'>divinitatis</span></span><span style='color:red'><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline'><![if !supportFootnotes]><font size="1">[1]</font><![endif]></span></span></a></span></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> [divinity] corporaliter</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Weymouth<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For it is in Christ that the fulness of <span style='color:red'>God's nature</span> dwells embodied, and in Him you are made complete<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=87 valign=top style='width:65.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>NET<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=570 valign=top style='width:427.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For in him all the fullness of <span style='color:red'>deity</span> lives in bodily form<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <h1 align="center"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Defining Terms<o:p></o:p></span></h1> <p class=MsoNormal> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>The New Testament was not written in English, of course, but in Koine Greek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Of decisive importance for us is the precise meaning of the original Greek word used in the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Let's look at the dictionary definitions of the Greek word </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>, <i>theotes</i>, used by Paul in Colossians 2:9:</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse; border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt' bgcolor="#DDFFEF"> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Friberg Lexicon</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1">[2]</font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><o:p></o:p></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, &#951;&#964;&#959;&#962; &#951;</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'> as an abstract noun for </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#962;</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'> </span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'>(<i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>god</i>); <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>divinity, deity, Godhead, divine nature </i>(CO 2.9)</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>UBS Lexicon<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, &#951;&#964;&#959;&#962; </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>f deity, godhead<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span></span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Louw-Nida Lexicon<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, &#951;&#964;&#959;&#962; </span></b><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>f </span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>; </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, &#951;&#964;&#959;&#962; </span></b><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>f </span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>; </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EL'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#959;&#957;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>, &#959;&#965; <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>n</i>: (derivatives of </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> 'God,' 12.1) the nature or state of being God - 'deity, divine nature, divine being.' </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>: </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#949;&#957; &#945;&#965;&#964;&#969; &#954;&#945;&#964;&#959;&#953;&#954;&#949;&#953; &#960;&#945;&#957; &#964;&#959; &#960;&#955;&#951;&#961;&#969;&#956;&#945; &#964;&#951;&#962; &#952;&#949;&#959;&#964;&#951;&#964;&#959;&#962; &#963;&#969;&#956;&#945;&#964;&#953;&#954;&#969;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> 'in him dwells all the fullness of divine nature in bodily form' Col 2.9 </span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EL'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Liddell and Scott<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>, </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#951;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> (</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>) <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>divinity, divine nature, </i>Luc. </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Thayer's<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, &#951;&#964;&#959;&#962;</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>, </span><b><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#951;</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> (deitas</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[3]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>, Tertullian, Augustine (de 104: Dei 7, 1)), <i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'>deity </i>i. e. the state of being God, <i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'>Godhead</i>: Col. 2:9. (Lucian, Icar. 9; Plutarch, de defect. orac. 10, p. 415 c.)<b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>BDAG<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, &#951;&#964;&#959;&#962;</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>, </span><b><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#951;</span></b><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> <b style='mso-bidi-font-weight: normal'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></b></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>the state of being god, <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>divine character/nature, deity, divinity, </i></span></b><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>used as abstract noun for </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> (Orig., C. Cels. 7, 25, 9):</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EL'> &#964;&#959; &#960;&#955;&#951;&#961;&#969;&#956;&#945; &#964;&#951;&#962; &#952;.</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'> </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>the fullness of deity </span></i><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>Col 2:9 </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>(s. Nash s.v. </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>). <b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><o:p></o:p></b></span></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"><![if !supportEmptyParas]> Thus, lexicons give expressions such as: divinity, deity, godhead, divine nature, divine being.&nbsp; But what do <i>these</i> expressions mean?&nbsp; An examination of some English dictionaries reveals that the meanings of these words is considerably broader than some Trinitarians would like them to be.<![endif]></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>To demonstrate this, let's look at the English terms that various English Bibles use to translate the Greek word </span><i><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>,</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'> in this verse:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse; border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt' bgcolor="#DDFFEF"> <tr> <td width=121 valign=top style='width:90.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Term<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </td> <td width=260 valign=top style='width:195.0pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Shorter Oxford English Dictionary (2 volume)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </td> <td width=276 valign=top style='width:207.35pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Merriam Webster <br> (<a href="http://www.m-w.com" target="_blank" >www.m-w.com</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=121 valign=top style='width:90.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Godhead<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=260 valign=top style='width:195.0pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>1.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> The <span style='color:blue'>quality</span> of being God or <span style='color:red'>a god</span>; <span style='color:red'>divine</span> nature or essence; deity.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>2.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> a. <i>The Godhead, </i>= GOD.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=276 valign=top style='width:207.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'>1</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'> <b>:</b> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:red'>divine</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:blue'>nature</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'> or essence <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=divinity" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>DIVINITY</span></a></b><br> <b>2</b> <i>capitalized</i> <b>a</b> <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=god+" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>GOD </span></a></b>1 <b>b</b> <b>:</b> the nature of God especially as existing in three persons -- used with <i>the</i></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=121 valign=top style='width:90.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Deity<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=260 valign=top style='width:195.0pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>1.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> The estate or rank of <span style='color:red'>a god</span>; godhood; godship; esp. with poss. pron. <b>b</b>. the divine <span style='color:blue'>nature</span> of God; Godhood; the Godhead.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>2.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> concr. A divinity, a divine being, <span style='color:red'>a god</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>3.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> (with capital.) A supreme being as creator of the universe; <i>the Deity, </i>the Supreme Being, God.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=276 valign=top style='width:207.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'>1 a</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'> <b>:</b> the rank or essential </span><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>nature</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> of </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:red'>a god</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=divinity" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>DIVINITY</span></a></b> <b>b</b> <i>capitalized</i> <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=god+" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>GOD </span></a></b>1, <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=supreme+being" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>SUPREME BEING</span></a><br> <b>2</b> <b>:</b> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:red'>a god</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'> or goddess &lt;the <i>deities </i>of ancient Greece&gt;<br> <b>3</b> <b>:</b> one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=121 valign=top style='width:90.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Divinity<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=260 valign=top style='width:195.0pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>1.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> The <span style='color:blue'>character</span> or <span style='color:blue'>quality</span> of being divine; divineness; divine nature; Deity, Godhead.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>2.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> concr. A divine being; <span style='color:red'>a god</span>; a deity.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>3.</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> Divine <span style='color:blue'>quality</span>, virtue, or power.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=276 valign=top style='width:207.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'>2</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; color:black'> <b>:</b> the </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>quality</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> or </span><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>state</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> of being </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:red'>divine</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'><br> <b>3</b> <i>often capitalized</i> <b>:</b> </span><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:blue'>a</span><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:red'>divine</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black'> being: as <b>a</b> <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=god+" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>GOD </span></a></b>1 <b>b </b>(1) <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=god+" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>GOD </span></a></b>2 (2) <b>: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/dictionary?book=Dictionary&amp;va=goddess" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: underline; text-underline: single"><span style='color:black'>GODDESS</span></a></b></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:black;mso-ansi-language: EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p class=MsoNormal> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Straight away, two things should be apparent:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Firstly, none of the above-mentioned words - Godhead, deity, divinity - <i>necessarily</i> mean that Christ is Almighty God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>True, they could all be <i>interpreted </i>to mean that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>But, then again, they can all be used to mean having the nature of <b>a god</b> rather than Almighty God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Secondly, all of these terms refer first and foremost to <i>character, quality, state, nature</i> and then, by extension, to identity.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal> <span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EL'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Is &quot;Divine Quality&quot; a satisfactory rendering of <i>theotes?<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>To answer that question we need to consider</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EL'>, </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>not only whether the English expression <i>divine quality</i> means the same as <i>theotes</i>,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>but also whether it is as specific as its Greek equivalent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>This second point is important, because when critics object to the rendering 'divine quality', it is usually not because they deny that Christ is full of the divine quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>What they do object to is that, in their view, the rendering 'divine quality' understates the meaning of <i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>theotes, </i><span style='mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>in other words fails to show that Jesus is completely God.</span></span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4"><span style='mso-special-character: footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[4]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span style="mso-spacerun: yes; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style:italic" lang="EN-US">  So</span><font face="Trebuchet MS"> is &quot;divine quality&quot; a correct translation for <i>theotes</i>?</font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>A look at the above lexicons shows beyond any doubt that it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>BDAG uses the expression &quot;divine character&quot;, which means basically the same as &quot;divine quality&quot;.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>&quot;Divinity&quot; - a term used by Friberg, Liddell and Scott's Lexicon and BDAG, is defined by the Shorter Oxford as &quot;the character or <b>quality</b> of being <b>divine</b>&quot;.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>This, too, shows the legitimacy of the rendering 'divine quality'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>In fact, as shown above, all three terms frequently used to translate </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL; mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>&#952;&#949;&#959;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> have dictionary definitions that include the words 'divine' and 'quality' or one of its synonyms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Thus, although none of the above-cited lexicons use the precise expression &quot;divine quality&quot;, critics are splitting hairs when they reject the reading as inaccurate.</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[5]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><o:p></o:p></p> <h1 align="center"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>Does </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL; mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>&#920;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> Refer Specifically to the Qualities or Essence of Almighty God?<o:p></o:p></span></h1> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>The word </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes, </span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>then, does not necessarily refer to Almighty God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Even the other expressions used by the above lexicons, </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>Deity </span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>and </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Godhead</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> do not necessarily refer to the Creator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>The Shorter Oxford uses the expression &quot;a god&quot; in defining 'deity', 'godhead' and 'divinity'<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>In Greek, the suffix </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EL;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>-&#964;&#951;&#962;, </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>-tes is frequently used to make an abstract noun out of an adjective or out of a concrete noun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Thus </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>kainos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> (new) produces </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>kainotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'> (newness), </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>adelphos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> (brother) produces </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>adelphotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> (brotherhood)</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[6]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>This, -<i>tes</i> can be seen to be similar in certain respects to English suffixes such as -ship, -ness, or -hood.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>As can be seen from the above lexicons, </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> is derived from the word </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>, which means 'God' or 'a god'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>It therefore </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>could</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'> mean what the Louw-Nida Lexicon says, &quot;the nature or state of being God&quot;, because </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> can mean God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>But it could equally mean &quot;the nature or state of being a god&quot;.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Just as </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> has that range of meaning, so must </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theotes.</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>&nbsp; In this sense, the expression &quot;fulness of divine nature,&quot; suggested by Louw-Nida is appropriate, because the English adjective <i>divine</i>, like the Greek noun <i> theos</i>, can pertain to God or to a god.&nbsp; Thus, the ambiguity of the original text is preserved.</span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>Of course, critics do not generally accept that </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> in the New Testament can be used of Christ without implying that he is Almighty God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>They feel that the term</span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> </span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>refers either to the true God or to false Gods, nothing in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Thus, they assert that the term </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> might well be translated </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>divinity </span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>or </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>godship</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> in a pagan context, but that such an interpretation would be out of place in the monotheism of the New Testament.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>What critics fail to realize is that </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> is also used of others.&nbsp; God<i> has</i> caused others to exist whom he permits to be referred to as &quot;gods&quot;.&nbsp; These include<i> </i>human judges</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[7]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> and the corresponding Hebrew term </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>elohim</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> is used of angels</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[8]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>In the Bible, theos is unquestionably used on occasion to refer to God's representatives, including God's foremost representative, the Word.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>It is this confusion that makes it so difficult for many critics to accept the </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>New World Translation</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> rendering of John 1:1c</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL; mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>, </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>a rendering which some mistakenly believe to promote polytheism or henotheism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>And, of course, a failure to understand the semantic range of the word </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> leads to a similar failure to understand that of </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">   </span>Until you understand that </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theos</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> can properly refer to God's representatives, you will never understand that </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> could legitimately be applied to their qualities.</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <h1 align="center"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>Differences between </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EL;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> and </span><span lang=EL style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;, </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Theiotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'><o:p></o:p></span></h1> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>Some critics argue that if Paul wanted to say Christ was full of the divine quality, he would have used the word </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theiotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> rather than </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>The word </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theiotes </span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>is derived from </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theios</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style: italic'>, meaning divine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Thus Thayer&#39;s Lexicon comments that</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS"'>deity </span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS"'>differs from </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS"'>divinity, </span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS"'>as essence differs from quality or attribute&quot;.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>However, </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>, like most nouns ending in -</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#964;&#951;&#962;, </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>is an abstract noun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Scholar Dan Wallace makes the following comment about abstract nouns:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Abstract nouns by their very nature focus on a quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>However, when such a noun is articular, that quality is &quot;tightened up,&quot; as it were, defined more closely, distinguished from other notions.</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' class="MsoFootnoteReference"><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[9]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><o:p></o:p></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>The<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>function of nouns ending in -<i><u>tes</u></i>, then,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>is to show a quality, just as words ending in -ship, -ness, or -hood in English show quality, not identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Both <i>theotes </i>and <i>theiotes</i> are abstract nouns and, as such, focus on qualities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span><i>Theotes</i> focuses on the quality of that which is <i>theos,</i> and theiotes focuses on the quality of that which is <i>theios.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Since <i>theios</i>, divine, basically means pertaining to God or to a god, then it is unsurprising that lexicons give similar definitions for <i>theotes</i> and <i>theiotes, </i>Liddell and Scott's Lexicon, for instance, giving virtually identical definitions for both words. <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> The Greek word <i>theiotes</i> is used in Romans 1:20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>The <i>New World Translation</i> renders this word as 'godship'.&nbsp; Although most lexicons prefer the rendering &#39;divinity&#39; for <i>theiotes</i>, it should be noted that the word &#39;godship&#39; is defined by <i>Merriam Webster Unabridged Online Dictionary</i> as &quot;the rank, character or personality of a god&quot;, thus making it very close in meaning to the terms divinity and deity, as defined in the lexicons referred to above.</span></p> <p class=MsoNormal>&nbsp;</p> <p class=MsoNormal>&nbsp;</p> <p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Historical Use of &#952;&#949;</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962; </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>and </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>The Bauer </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>Danker Arndt and Gingrich Lexicon, referred to above, cites the work of <b>Nash</b> in its definition of </span><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'>theotes.</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>This lexicon, in its entry under </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#959;&#964;&#951;&#962; </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>also has the following reference: </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'>HNash, </span><b><i><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL;mso-bidi-language:HE'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962; - &#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span></i></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'> Ro 1:20, Col 2:9: JBL 18, 1899, 1-34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span></span><span style='font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It would therefore be instructive to look at some of</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> Nash's conclusions </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>from the article in <i>Journal of Biblical Literature </i> that was cited by this highly respected lexicon<i>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Among Nash's conclusions are the following:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=Bulletlist style='margin-left:54.0pt;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops:list 54.0pt'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-US> <font face="Trebuchet MS">1.</font><span style='font-style:normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; font-size:7.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span> <![endif]><font face="Trebuchet MS"><span lang=EN-US>Paul was not using the terms to distinguish between God's being, personality and nature on the one hand and his attributes on the other.<br style='mso-special-character:line-break'> <![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'> <![endif]></span></font><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-US> <font face="Trebuchet MS">2.</font><span style='font-style:normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; font-size:7.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span> <![endif]><font face="Trebuchet MS"><span lang=EN-US>There was no reason why pagan Greeks should distinguish between <i>theotes</i> and <i>theiotes</i>.<br style='mso-special-character:line-break'> <![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'> <![endif]></span></font><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-US> <font face="Trebuchet MS">3.</font><span style='font-style:normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; font-size:7.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span> <![endif]><font face="Trebuchet MS"><span lang=EN-US>In the usage of the early Greek Church, the distinction between the two terms was unknown.</span></font></p> <p class=Bulletlist><span lang=EN-US><font face="Trebuchet MS"><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></font><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=Bulletlist><font face="Trebuchet MS"><span lang=EN-US>H. S. Nash also explains why this misunderstanding arose:</span></font></p> <blockquote> <p class=Bulletlist> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>The chief fault in the exponents of the distinction between the</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>terms is that they have taken little or almost no account of the</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>long history of the terms. They have made no attempt to</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>correlate them with the history of thought. They have not asked</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>whether the system of the author in question called for the</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>distinction, but, taking the terms as the isolated expressions of</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>an isolated theorem, have picked up an example wherever it</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>came their way. The only excuse for the hasty study of the</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>larger context of the stock illustrations is the fact that the</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>traditional view, having ruled interpretations for six centuries,</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'> </span> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>has naturally fallen into the habit of taking itself for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </blockquote> <p class=MsoBodyText2><font face="Trebuchet MS"><span lang=EN-US>Further extracts of Nash's work have been posted on the B-Greek discussion list and can be viewed by clicking <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek/test-archives/html4/1999-09/32904.html" target="_blank" >here</a>.</span></font><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <h4 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></b></h4> <h4 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>The Context<o:p></o:p></span></b></h4> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS">It is also worth examining the context of Colossians 2:9 and the use of</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> the word </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#960;&#955;&#951;&#961;&#969;&#956;&#945;, </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'><i>pleroma</i>, usually translated 'fulness'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>This word is significant because Paul uses it just a few verses earlier in Colossians 1:19, which is presented from a number of translations below:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse; border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt' bgcolor="#DDFFEF"> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Greek<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:"TITUS Cyberbit Basic"; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#959;&#964;&#953; &#949;&#957; &#945;&#965;&#964;&#969; &#949;&#965;&#948;&#959;&#954;&#951;&#963;&#949;&#957; &#960;&#945;&#957; &#964;&#959; &#960;&#955;&#951;&#961;&#969;&#956;&#945; &#954;&#945;&#964;&#959;&#953;&#954;&#951;&#963;&#945;&#953;</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:"TITUS Cyberbit Basic";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>, <i>oti en auto eudokesen pan to pleroma katoikesai</i></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>KJV<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style="margin-left: 36.0pt"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For it pleased <i>the Father</i></span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10"><span style='mso-special-character: footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[10]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> that in him [Christ] should all fulness dwell</span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight: normal'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:HE'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>NIV<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <h4><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For God was pleased to have all his fulness dwell in him [Christ]</span><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></b></h4> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>GNT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style="margin-left: 36.0pt"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>For it was by God's own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God.</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11"><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><a title=""><font size="1"><span>[11]</span></font></a></span></a></span><![endif]><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=141 valign=top style='width:105.4pt;border:solid windowtext .5pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>NWT<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width=516 valign=top style='width:387.35pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext .5pt;border-right:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style="margin-left: 36.0pt"><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>because<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>[God]</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single'><font size="1"><span><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12" title=""><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>[12]</span></a><![endif]><span style="mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US"> </span></span></font></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>saw good for all fullness to dwell in him [Christ]</span><span lang=EL style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:Tahoma;mso-ansi-language:EL'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoBodyText2><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'> <font face="Trebuchet MS">Is the &quot;fullness&quot; referred to in these verses the same &quot;fullness&quot; mentioned in Colossians 2:9?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Methodist commentator Adam Clarke believes so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Commenting on Colossians 1:19, he remarks:</font><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>The </span><span lang=EL style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family:"TITUS Cyberbit Basic";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#960;&#955;&#951;&#961;&#969;&#956;&#945;</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:"TITUS Cyberbit Basic"'>, or fullness, must refer here to the Divine nature dwelling in the man Christ Jesus.</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Likewise, the Jamieson, Fawcett and Brown commentary on the same verse says:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>all fulness</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>  rather as <i>Greek,</i>  all <i>the</i> fullness, namely, <i>of God,</i> whatever divine excellence is in God the Father (Col 2:9; Eph 3:19; compare Joh 1:16; Joh 3:34)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Scholar A. T. Robertson says:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>All the fulness</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> (</span><i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:"TITUS Cyberbit Basic"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>pan to pleroma</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-bidi-font-family:"TITUS Cyberbit Basic"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>). The same idea as in Col 2:9 <i>pan to pleroma tes theotetos</i> (all the fulness of the Godhead).  A recognized technical term in theology, denoting the totality of the Divine powers and attributes (Lightfoot)</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='mso-special-character: footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><font size="1"><span><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13" title="">[13]</a></span></font></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoBodyText2><span style='mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'><font face="Trebuchet MS">However, Colossians 1:19 presents a major problem for Trinitarians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>According to the above translations, Christ has this fullness because &quot;it pleased the Father&quot; (KJV) or &quot;by God's own decision&quot;.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  Greg </span>Stafford makes a very telling point here:</font><o:p></o:p></span></p> <blockquote> <p class=MsoBodyTextIndent><font face="Trebuchet MS"><span lang=EN-US>The Scriptures will not sustain the view that Almighty God's powers and attributes are something contingent upon the &quot;will&quot; or &quot;decree&quot; of another. Such is the case, however, with the fullness belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ. God &quot;chose&quot; (Goodspeed), &quot;decided&quot; (Beck), &quot;willed&quot; (Moffatt) to have all His attributes </span></font> <span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>displayed in the person of His Son. <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> </blockquote> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Stafford is right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>If Christ were actually God, then he would have all the fullness of deity of his own right, not because of a decision taken by someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Of course, regardless of whether we understand Colossians 1:19 and 2:9 to be talking about the same thing, Colossians 1:19 presents great difficulties for Trinitarians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Whatever the <i>plerotes</i> mentioned in that verse is, how come Christ <b>received</b> it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>And what was his position before receiving it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>How does that affect his supposed equality with God?<![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>Stafford continues:</span><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-left:36.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace: none'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt;'><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>However, it is actually uncommon in reading through different commentaries and articles that discuss issues connected with 1:19 and 2:9 to find a scholar who tries to disconnect what is said in the two passages. This is likely because they do not see the problem involved in the use of <i>eudokeo </i>[the verb translated 'to please']</span><![if !supportFootnotes]><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt'><a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; mso-special-character:footnote; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US' href="#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14" title=""><span style='mso-special-character:footnote; mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:red; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; vertical-align:baseline; mso-bidi-font-size:16.0pt; font-family:Trebuchet MS; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><font size="1">[14]</font></span></a></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> <h4 align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>Summary of Evidence<o:p></o:p></span></b></h4> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'> <span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>Thus, Mark McFall&#39;s statement that <![endif]></span><font face="Trebuchet MS">the &quot;Watchtower Society can do no more than present a Latin translation of the Greek original for their defense and assert that they have &quot;a solid basis&quot; for their own translation&quot; is certainly misleading.&nbsp; From our brief review of the evidence, we can draw the following conclusions:</font></p> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'> <span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>(1) <i>Theotes</i> is an abstract noun derived from <i>theos</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Just as <i>theos</i> has a range of meanings, so does <i>theotes.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>(2) Standard Greek lexicons define the Greek word <i>theotes</i> using words such as divinity, divine nature, deity and Godhead.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoBodyText2 style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB'><font face="Trebuchet MS">(3) The English words used in many translations also have a range of meaning that encompasses the qualities of Almighty God but also includes the qualities of &#39;a god&#39;.</font><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>(4) The <i>New World Translation</i> rendering &quot;divine quality&quot; is entirely consistent with the definitions of<i> theotes</i> given in the lexicons.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:36.0pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'>(5) <i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></i>The context of Colossians 2:9 also indicates that Christ has the fullness of divine quality because God chose to give it to him.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal>&nbsp;</p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> Ironically, nothing in the <i>New World Translation&#39;s </i>rendering of Colossians 2:9 contradicts the belief that Christ is Almighty God.&nbsp; Whether you accept Jehovah&#39;s Witnesses&#39; view of Christ or not, you can still believe that Christ is full of the &quot;divine quality&quot;.&nbsp; So why all the fuss?<![endif]></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> What Trinitarians are really objecting to is the fact that the <i>New World Translation</i> deprives them of one of their favourite proof texts, and such texts are few and far between.&nbsp; However, there is no point in trying to force onto a text a meaning that is simply not there, or to artificially restrict the meaning of a particular word to fit ones own concept of God.&nbsp; <![endif]></span></p> <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> This is eisegesis, rather than exegesis - reading one&#39;s own ideas into the text, instead of letting the Bible speak, allowing it to be precise where it is precise and vague, where it is vague.&nbsp; And sometimes the words and expressions used are unclear - to us.&nbsp; Paul&#39;s readers already knew who Jesus Christ was before reading the letter to the Colossians.&nbsp; They would not have had to think twice about it.&nbsp; We, today, can have the same understanding of God&#39;s word by discarding the blinkers of creedal views of Christianity and letting the Bible speak for itself.&nbsp; This includes the following statements in Colossians:<![endif]></span></p> <ul> <li> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>God [not just the Father] and Christ Jesus referred to as separate persons. (1:1)<![endif]></span></p></li> <li> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>Jesus&#39; Father is God. (1:3)<![endif]></span></p> </li> <li> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>Jesus is [not God but] the image of God (1:15)<![endif]></span></p> </li> <li> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>Jesus is the firstborn of all creation (1:15)<![endif]></span></p> </li> <li> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>Christ is seated at God&#39;s right hand (3:1)<![endif]></span></p> </li> <li> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>We should thank God through Christ (3:17)<![endif]></span></p> </li> </ul> <p class=MsoNormal><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>It is quite obvious to anyone examining the question without Trinitarian bias that Paul conceived of God as one person (not three) and of Christ as another, separate person.<![endif]></span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'><![if !supportEmptyParas]><font size="2">&nbsp;</font><![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote-list'><![if !supportFootnotes]> <font face="Trebuchet MS" size="2"><br clear=all> </font> <hr align=left size=1 width="33%"> <![endif]> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn1> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn1; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[1]<![endif]></span></span></a> Scholar <span lang=EN-US style='mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>H. S. </span>Nash, referred to later in this article, says of the Vulgate's use of <i>divinitas</i>: &quot;<span lang=EN style='color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN'>The Vulgate gives divinitas as the equivalent of </span><span lang=EL style='color:black;mso-ansi-language: EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN style='color:black; mso-ansi-language:EN'> in Col 2:9; and from Tertullian down to Aquinas it is always so quoted. If that fact stood alone, it might not have much weight. It could then be fairly urged that the earlier text of the Vulgate was the work of translators, who, knowing Greek only in the rough, slurred over a fine distinction, like that between </span><span lang=EL style='color:black; mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#953;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN style='color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN'> and </span><span lang=EL style='color:black;mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#952;&#949;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span lang=EN style='color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN'>, and, furthermore, when once the Vulgate had intrenched itself in liturgical use and popular reverence, it was next to an impossibility to change it. The fact, however, that the Greeks themselves did not know the tradition, knocks the bottom out of that argument.&quot;</span></font></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn2> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn2; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[2]<![endif]></span></span></a> Friberg's <i>Analytical Lexicon of the New Testament</i> (2000 edition).</font></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn3> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn3; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[3]<![endif]></span></span></a> Note, however, that the <i>Vulgate</i> uses <i>divinitas, </i>not <i>deitas,</i> to translate <i>theotes. </i></font></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn4> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn4; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[4]<![endif]></span></span></a> </font> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>For this discussion, we have assumed that the genitive here in the expression </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> fullness of the Godhead / Deity / divinity </span></i> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>is a genitive of content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>In other words, it indicates the quantity or amount of </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> that is present in Christ (namely, all of it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>While we are persuaded that this is the correct understanding, and our discussion has therefore focused on the meaning of </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>theotes</span></i><span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'>, it must be remembered that the genitive case in Greek has many different shades of meaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Since Colossians 1:19 says that Christ has </span><i style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US'> plerotes </span></i> <span lang=EN-US style='mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> (fullness) by God's own decision, it might well be possible for someone to construct a case for a genitive of source, i.e. &quot;the fullness that comes from the Deity.&quot;</span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn5> <p class=MsoFootnoteText> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn5; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference> <span style='mso-special-character:footnote; font-family:Trebuchet MS'><![if !supportFootnotes]> [5]<![endif]></span></span></a><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> Mark McFall, in his </span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS">article, &quot;An analysis of The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Watchtower Society&nbsp; - &quot;Theotes&quot; in Col 2:9 and &quot;Theiotes&quot; in Rom 1:20&quot; acknowledges that: &quot;some scholars accept theotes as meaning divinity which could convey the rendering &#39;divine quality&#39;&quot;.</span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn6> <p class=MsoFootnoteText> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn6; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference> <span style='mso-special-character:footnote; font-family:Trebuchet MS'><![if !supportFootnotes]> [6]<![endif]></span></span></a><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> In defining </span><span lang=EL style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>&#945;&#948;&#949;&#955;&#966;&#972;&#964;&#951;&#962;</span><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>, <i>adelphotes</i></span><span lang=EL style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language:EL'>, </span><span lang=EN-US style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS";mso-ansi-language: EN-US'>Thayer's Lexicon states that this is an example of 'the abstract for the concrete'.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn7> <p class=MsoFootnoteText> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn7; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference> <span style='mso-special-character:footnote; font-family:Trebuchet MS'><![if !supportFootnotes]> [7]<![endif]></span></span></a><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> The human judges of Israel are called &quot;gods&quot; in Psalm 82:1, 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Christ quoted this Psalm in John 10:24, 25, pointing out that even human judges were called &quot;gods&quot; (<i>theoi</i>), so it was not improper for him to call himself the &quot;Son of God&quot;.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'><![if !supportEmptyParas]> &nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn8> <p class=MsoFootnoteText> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn8; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference> <span style='mso-special-character:footnote; font-family:Trebuchet MS'><![if !supportFootnotes]> [8]<![endif]></span></span></a><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> Psalm 8:5 reads: &quot;You have made him [man] only a little lower than the gods&quot; (Bible in Basic English).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Other translations use &quot;the angels&quot; (KJV, Vulgate, LXX), &quot;God&quot; (ASV, RSV) or another expression such as &quot;the godlike ones&quot; (NWT) or &quot;the heavenly beings&quot; (NIV).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>The Hebrew <i>elohim</i> could mean God or gods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">   </span>Hebrews 2:7 confirms that the reference here is to angels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Therefore, the angels can be referred to as <i>elohim</i>, or gods, godlike ones.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn9> <p class=MsoFootnoteText> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn9; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference> <span style='mso-special-character:footnote; font-family:Trebuchet MS'><![if !supportFootnotes]> [9]<![endif]></span></span></a><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS"'> <i>Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics</i>, page 226.<o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn10> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn10; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[10]<![endif]></span></span></a> The object of the verb &quot;pleased&quot; does not appear in the Greek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>So it does not actually state <i>who</i><span style='mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> was pleased to give Christ all fullness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Albert Barnes comments on this verse: &quot;T</span></font><span lang=EN-US style='font-family: Trebuchet MS;mso-ansi-language:EN-US'>he words  the Father are not in the original, but they are not improperly supplied. Some word must be understood, and as the apostle in Col 1:12 referred to  the Father as having a claim to the thanks of his people for what he had done, and as the great favor for which they ought to be thankful is that which he immediately specifies - the exaltation of Christ, it is not improper to suppose that this is the word to be understood here.&quot;</span><span style='mso-bidi-font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn11> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn11; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[11]<![endif]></span></span></a> Note, however, that the expression &quot;full nature of God&quot; does not appear in the original Greek and is a paraphrase.</font></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn12> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn12; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[12]<![endif]></span></span></a> Parentheses as in original.</font></p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn13> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn13; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[13]<![endif]></span></span></a> These quotations are taken from the respective modules of the e-sword program. </font> </p> </div> <div style='mso-element:footnote' id=ftn14> <p class=MsoFootnoteText><font face="Trebuchet MS"> <a style='mso-footnote-id:ftn14; color:#336699; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single' href="#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14" title=""><span class=MsoFootnoteReference><span style='mso-special-character: footnote'><![if !supportFootnotes]>[14]<![endif]></span></span></a> <i>Jehovah's Witnesses Defended, Second Edition</i>, pages 158-60.</font></p> </div> </div> <p> <font face="Trebuchet MS"><BR><BR><BR><!------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> </font> </td> </tr> </table> </td> <td width="178"> <table width="178" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr valign="top"> <td><font face="Trebuchet MS"><!------------------------ Menu section, links go below ----------------------------><!-- this is the code for a button below, just copy and paste the code to make multiple buttons, you will notice we have did this six times for example --><!--button code start--> </font> <table width="178" height="41" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr valign="top"><td width="178" height="11"> <FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2><IMG height=11 alt="" src="buttontop.jpg" width=178 border=0></FONT></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="178" height="20" background="buttonbg.jpg"> <FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff size=2 ><IMG height=1 alt="" src="buttonspcr.gif" width=15 border=0>&nbsp;&nbsp; <A href="index.html">Front Page </A> </FONT> </td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="178" height="12"> <FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=#0000ff><IMG height=12 alt="" src="buttonbottom.jpg" width=178 border=0></FONT></td></tr></table> <table width="178" height="41" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr valign="top"><td width="178" height="11"> <FONT face="Trebuchet MS"><IMG height=11 alt="" src="buttontop.jpg" width=178 border=0></FONT></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td width="178" height="20" background="buttonbg.jpg"> <FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2 ><IMG height=1 alt="" src="buttonspcr.gif" width=15 border=0><FONT color=#0080ff>&nbsp; <a title="Was Frederick W. 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