71) John 1:1 is Parallel to the Man Moses - a podcast by William Schlegel, Preston Macy

See full text of this episode here:

https://landandbible.blogspot.com/2022/04/john-11-is-parallel-to-man-moses.html



Also see Dr. Andrew Perry's book: John 1:1-18, A Socinian Approach

https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/andrew-perry/john-11-18/hardcover/product-1n7j2zgj.html?page=1&pageSize=4

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1. The literary and thematic parallels to the phrases “was with God” and “was God” of John 1:1 are to be found in the Greek version of the Old Testament, not in extra-biblical literature, and these phrases particularly refer to the man Moses. Greek-speaking Israelites familiar with the Greek Old Testament could recognize that Moses “was with God pros ton Theon“ and even “was God” in a representative sense, and understand that the author was introducing the coming of the “prophet like unto Moses…about whom Moses wrote”.

On the hand, Gentiles of the second century and later misunderstood John’s opening statement and instead claimed John was introducing a second God figure who was related to God in an ontological way, in nature or essence. These interpreters either ignored or missed the Moses typology and instead assimilated Greek philosophical speculations onto John’s writing. Likewise, the Greek mind failed to recognize the Hebrew parallel of Logos to Torah, and “in the beginning” to Israel’s beginning at Sinai.

To put it another way, John 1:1 is introducing a prophet like unto Moses, not a second God figure, and not an abstract plan.

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2. References in the Gospel of John that directly compare Jesus to Moses are evidence that John’s opening statement is doing the same thing, just as other New Testament comparisons of Jesus to Moses. John’s Gospel is not presenting a different Christ than the rest of the New Testament.

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