The Granville Sharp Rule:
The Granville Sharp Rule can be summarized as follows: in native Greek constructions (i.e., not translations), when a single article modifies two substantives connected by "kai" (thus, article-substantive-kai-substantive), and both substantives are (1) singular, (2) personal, and (3) common nouns, they refer to the same entity. This rule is elucidated by Daniel B. Wallace, who states:
"In native Greek constructions (i.e., not translation Greek), when a single article modifies two substantives connected by kai (thus, article-substantive- kai-substantive), when both substantives are (1) singular (both grammatically and semantically), (2) personal, (3) and common nouns (not proper names or ordinals), they have the same referent."
The Granville Sharp Rule can be summarized as follows: in native Greek constructions (i.e., not translations), when a single article modifies two substantives connected by "kai" (thus, article-substantive-kai-substantive), and both substantives are (1) singular, (2) personal, and (3) common nouns, they refer to the same entity. This rule is elucidated by Daniel B. Wallace, who states:
"In native Greek constructions (i.e., not translation Greek), when a single article modifies two substantives connected by kai (thus, article-substantive- kai-substantive), when both substantives are (1) singular (both grammatically and semantically), (2) personal, (3) and common nouns (not proper names or ordinals), they have the same referent."
Examples In The New Testament:
Dr. James R. White provides similar clarifications of the Granville Sharp Rule:
"Basically, Granville Sharp's rule states that when you have two nouns, which are not proper names (such as Cephas, or Paul, or Timothy), which are describing a person, and the two nouns are connected by the word 'and,' and the first noun has the article ('the') while the second does not, both nouns are referring to the same person."
"Kenneth Wuest, in his Expanded Translation, highlights several New Testament examples that adhere to this rule. For instance, 2 Thessalonians 1:12 reads, “in accordance with the grace of our God, even the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Dr. James R. White provides similar clarifications of the Granville Sharp Rule:
"Basically, Granville Sharp's rule states that when you have two nouns, which are not proper names (such as Cephas, or Paul, or Timothy), which are describing a person, and the two nouns are connected by the word 'and,' and the first noun has the article ('the') while the second does not, both nouns are referring to the same person."
"Kenneth Wuest, in his Expanded Translation, highlights several New Testament examples that adhere to this rule. For instance, 2 Thessalonians 1:12 reads, “in accordance with the grace of our God, even the Lord Jesus Christ.”
This construction supports the idea that "God" and "Jesus Christ" are referring to the same person.
Implications For Jesus' Deity:
In Titus 2:13, the terms "God" and "Savior" are both applied to Jesus Christ, as evidenced by the subsequent verse:
"who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
The Jamieson-Faussett-Brown Commentary provides further insight, explaining that there is one Greek article linking "God" and "Savior," indicating they refer to a single being, Jesus Christ:
"There is but one Greek article to “God” and “Savior,” which shows that both are predicated of one and the same Being. “Of Him who is at once the great God and our Savior.” Also (2) “appearing” ({epiphaneia}) is never by Paul predicated of God the Father (John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16), or even of “His glory” (as Alford explains it): it is invariably applied to Christ‘s coming, to which) (at His first advent, compare 2 Timothy 1:10) the kindred verb “appeared” ({epephanee}), Titus 2:)11, refers (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:8). Also (3) in the context (Titus 2:14) there is no reference to the Father, but to Christ alone; and here there is no occasion for reference to the Father in the exigencies of the context. Also (4) the expression “great God,” as applied to Christ, is in accordance with the context, which refers to the glory of His appearing; just as “the true God” is predicated of Christ, 1 John 5:20. The phrase occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but often in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 7:21; Deuteronomy 10:17, predicated of Jehovah, who, as their manifested Lord, led the Israelites through the wilderness, doubtless the Second Person in the Trinity. Believers now look for the manifestation of His glory, inasmuch as they shall share in it. Even the Socinian explanation, making “the great God” to be the Father, “our Savior,” the Son, places God and Christ on an equal relation to “the glory” of the future appearing: a fact incompatible with the notion that Christ is not divine; indeed it would be blasphemy so to couple any mere created being with God."
In Titus 2:13, the terms "God" and "Savior" are both applied to Jesus Christ, as evidenced by the subsequent verse:
"who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds."
The Jamieson-Faussett-Brown Commentary provides further insight, explaining that there is one Greek article linking "God" and "Savior," indicating they refer to a single being, Jesus Christ:
"There is but one Greek article to “God” and “Savior,” which shows that both are predicated of one and the same Being. “Of Him who is at once the great God and our Savior.” Also (2) “appearing” ({epiphaneia}) is never by Paul predicated of God the Father (John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16), or even of “His glory” (as Alford explains it): it is invariably applied to Christ‘s coming, to which) (at His first advent, compare 2 Timothy 1:10) the kindred verb “appeared” ({epephanee}), Titus 2:)11, refers (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:8). Also (3) in the context (Titus 2:14) there is no reference to the Father, but to Christ alone; and here there is no occasion for reference to the Father in the exigencies of the context. Also (4) the expression “great God,” as applied to Christ, is in accordance with the context, which refers to the glory of His appearing; just as “the true God” is predicated of Christ, 1 John 5:20. The phrase occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, but often in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 7:21; Deuteronomy 10:17, predicated of Jehovah, who, as their manifested Lord, led the Israelites through the wilderness, doubtless the Second Person in the Trinity. Believers now look for the manifestation of His glory, inasmuch as they shall share in it. Even the Socinian explanation, making “the great God” to be the Father, “our Savior,” the Son, places God and Christ on an equal relation to “the glory” of the future appearing: a fact incompatible with the notion that Christ is not divine; indeed it would be blasphemy so to couple any mere created being with God."
The Granville Sharp Rule, when applied to New Testament Greek, provides compelling grammatical evidence for the deity of Jesus Christ. The cited examples and scholarly interpretations reinforce the understanding that Jesus is both God and Savior, a foundational tenet of Christian theology. This principle, deeply rooted in the language of the New Testament, underscores the profound connection between grammar and theology in biblical scholarship.
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