[A Cummings]

Okay. Here's my translation of the passage I'm curious about (I haven't quite figured out how to use the Greek button): "Again, a new commandment I write to you, which is true in itself..." Why does the feminine "new commandment" become a neuter "thing" in relative clause? Does it really matter? Can things like commandments go neuter if they feel like it?
Maybe there's some sort of poetic, knowing-is-doing sort of thing going on here. Am I missing the metaphor?

[Mr. Schwandt]

Here is what Baugh says:

The grammar of the clause, o} ejstin ajlhqevV, presents particular difficulties, because it is not clear what the antecedent of the relative pronoun , o} is. The options are:

1) The antecedent is the previous action: "The fact that I am, on the other hand, writing a new commandment, this fact is true in him..." While this is grammatically possible, it makes John's point trivial and should be ruled out on that account.

2) The neuter pronoun explains the newness of the commandment and stands as a neuter "epexegetical" clause to the "new commandment": "On the other hand, I am writing a new commmandment, (namely) something which is true in Him.. ". But this interpretation lends itself to undue moralism, and it makes the next phrase too difficult.

3) The best option is that the o} does not have an antecedent but rather a postcedent. Its reference is to something which follows it. In this case the postcedent is the clause begun with o{ti. In Greek, o{ti clauses are regarded as neuter singular items, hence neuter singular o{ agrees with the o{ti clause.

The meaning of the statement can now be seen as a clarification of how the ancient commandment can also be new: because the eschatological era has begun. Since the darkness was defeated by Christ, and is in the process of being annihilated, the commandment comes to us with greater realization of fulfillment. We can now paraphrase: "On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you; what is true in him, and in you is that the darkness is passing away and the genuine light is already shining."



It is hard to believe that he is amill.