3Resurrections wrote:
To which you replied:You bring up John 17:3 quite often, I notice, in asserting that the "only true God" is in addition to Jesus Christ in that verse. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." A question: what if the word "and" (kai) in that phrase doesn't actually mean "in addition to", but uses its alternate Greek definition, meaning "namely"? It would then read this way: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, NAMELY Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent."
I must say I am very surprised at your statement. I do not know which lexicons you refer to but both Thayer and Bauer give "namely" as a possible translation of kai. Additional translations can be "that is", "and so", "and yet", "also", and "likewise" among others.I have studied Helenistic Greek for many years, and have never encountered any lexicon that gives the translation of "και" as "namely." Nor does any translation so render it. However, some lexicons give "even" as a possible translation, and so that word would have the same effect as your proposed "namely." I recall that a United Pentecostal minister friend of mine, used "even" in the translation of John 17:3. For that church is modalist (they call it "oneness"), believing that God is a single Individual who expresses Himself in three modes: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, I disbelieve that "και" ever means "even." I believe that Jesus (as recorded in John 17:3) addressed His Father as "the only true God" and with that little word "και" indicated that He was Someone other than the only true God.
Both Thayer and Bauer state that kai is often explicative; i.e. the purpose of what follows kai is to explain what was said before.
Some examples from scripture:
John 10:33 (NASB)
33. The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”
Here kai connects the claim of blasphemy to the kind of blasphemy.
1 Corinthians 2:2 (NASB)
2. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
And here kai connects to Christ what it was that that made Him worthy of Paul's knowing. What follows kai is explicative of what proceeded.
Matthew 8:33 (NASB)
33. The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs.
In this case kai connects an explanation of what their running away involved.
This, of course, does not mean "namely" is the correct translation of kai in John 17:3 but it doesn't rule out some such meaning. 3Resurrections did not error in saying namely was a possible translation.