Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bill Ross" <wross AT farmerstel.com>]

<Kerry>
> But isn't this the same usage as found in the beginning (GRIN!) of the
Gospel of John? En Arche ho Logos.......
> There is says "the", or am I really beginning to show of my vast fund of
ignorance
> on things Greek as well? Laugh!

<Liz>
>No, there is no "the" just "in beginning" or "When beginning," or "while
beginning" or "at first".
I agree, it's not a separate witness, just a quotation from the LXX.

<Bill>
I'm starting to warm up to "at first". Does anyone have a problem with that?

Also, there are zero occurences of "EN H ARCH" in the NT, but here are some
Koine Greek instances of "EN ARCH" phrases:

Acts 11:15      **EN DE TW ARXASQAI** ME LALEIN EPEPESEN TO PNEUMA TO AGION EP
AUTOUS WSPER KAI EF HMAS **EN ARCH**

Acts 11:15  And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us
at the beginning.
[literally "But in the beginning of me to speak...just as also upon us in
[a] beginning"]

Philippians     4:15    OIDATE DE KAI UMEIS FILIPPHSIOI OTI **EN ARCH** TOU
EUAGGELIOU OTE EXHLQON APO MAKEDONIAS OUDEMIA MOI EKKLHSIA EKOINWNHSEN EIS
LOGON DOSEWS KAI LHMYEWS EI MH UMEIS MONOI
[literally "...in [a] beginning of the Gospel..."]

Phil 4:15  Now ye Philippians know also, that **in the beginning** of the
gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated [shared]with
me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

Revelations     3:14 KAI TW AGGELW THS EN LAODIKEIA EKKLHSIAS GRAYON TADE 
LEGEI
O AMHN O MARTUS O PISTOS KAI ALHQINOS H ARCH THS KTISEWS TOU QEOU
[literally "...the beginning of the creation of God..."]

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, **the beginning** of
the creation of God;

It seems that EN ARCH is Koine for "in the beginning" or "at first".

Bill Ross