{"id":8318,"date":"2018-10-10T15:46:44","date_gmt":"2018-10-10T21:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.richimages.net\/?p=8318"},"modified":"2018-10-12T12:41:09","modified_gmt":"2018-10-12T18:41:09","slug":"understanding-sharps-rule-and-its-implications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/?p=8318","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Sharp’s Rule, and it’s Implications"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grandville Sharp<\/a> (10 November 1735 \u2013 6 July 1813) is mainly remembered for his work as an abolitionist in the fight against slavery, as well as other social injustices. However, he was also quite a self accomplished linguist of Greek and Hebrew text of the Bible. Some of this was motivated by discussions over Christ’s Deity with a Unitarian coworker. Sharp began to study Koine Greek in order to better present evidence to his friend. Sharp made a striking discovery of a special pattern of words in which he observed a rule – which has incredible implications for noting passages that name Christ as God.<\/p>\n

Sharp’s Rule<\/h4>\n

(( Credit to whom credit it due! This page is strongly based on this site<\/a>. It’s just been reformatted for easier reading. )) may be summarized as follows:<\/p>\n

In Koine Greek, when two personal nouns of the same case are connected by \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 (translated as “and”), if the former has the definite article, \u1f41, (translated as “the”) or any of it’s cases (( Other forms of definite articles in Koine Greek include: \u03b1\u1f31, \u1f21, \u1f41,\u03bf\u1f31, \u03c4\u1f70, \u03c4\u1f70\u03c2, \u03c4\u1fc7, \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd, \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2, \u03c4\u1f78, \u03c4\u1ff7, \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd, \u03c4\u03bf\u1fd6\u03c2, \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd, \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6, \u03c4\u03bf\u1f7a\u03c2, etc. )), and the latter personal noun doesn’t have a definite article, then both nouns refer to the same person.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This rule has profound implications for scripture explicitly declaring the deity of Christ! If this rule is true, there are several passages that name Christ with some characteristic which is paired with the characteristic of “God”. Although many have found some exceptions to the rule, there have been no exceptions found with Sharp’s following three restrictions:<\/p>\n

Three restrictions to Apply Sharp’s Rule to a Passage:<\/h6>\n
    \n
  • The nouns must be singular in number, not plural.<\/u>\n

    For example, consider the miracle when Jesus “heal the blind and dumb<\/b>, so that he both spoke and saw”<\/em>. We see that this passage applies to Sharp’s Rule as the blind<\/em> refers to a single person, not a group of blind men. Also note that since there is no definite article before dumb<\/em> in the Greek text, whatever case blind refers to, dumb will follow the same case – here, it would be singular.<\/li>\n

  • The nouns must be personal nouns, not proper names.<\/u>

    \nAccording to Sharp’s definition, personal nouns<\/em> are nouns which are descriptive of personal relations (son, brother, father, mother, sister,<\/em> etc.), qualities (rich, blind, lame, mute, <\/em> etc.), or title, offices, ranks, and the like (centurion, guard, chief ruler, tetrarch, <\/em> etc.).<\/p>\n

    This restriction might be the best opportunity to argue against Sharp’s Rule declaring the Deity of Christ as God. (See application of the rule in the significant passages given below). Those that hold this position state that “God” (\u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2) is a personal name, not a title. However, if “God” is a personal name, then one could easily see that Jesus is God by simply referring to John 1:1. In that passage we read “… and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”<\/em> (a personal noun, the name of God). However, the denominations that do not accept Jesus’ Deity believe the word \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2, in that verse is an adjective, and should be translated as “god-like”, or “divine”. I.e. they have always held that \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 is a title, not a personal name. If that is the case, then Sharp’s Rule more than applies. In either case, these denominations have a serious problem supporting a view against the Deity of Jesus with a consistent interpretation of \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2. <\/li>\n

  • As used by Sharp, the term nouns<\/em> includes substantives<\/b>, adjectives<\/b> and participles<\/b>.<\/u><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The rule relates specifically to Koine Greek, not to English. But examples of this same construct, \u1f41 substantive<\/b> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 substantive<\/> <\/span>, in English, just for a rough comparison, could include: <\/p>\n

    … an officer and father<\/b> of three, Stan Graham …
    \n … a freshman and<\/b> starting quarterback<\/b>, Daniel Henderson …
    \n … the<\/b> lead singer and song-writer<\/b>, Dolly Parton …
    \n … the<\/b> best actor and director<\/b>, Michael Landon …<\/p>\n

    This syntax occurs frequently in Koine Greek. We’ll start with some non-significant examples and move on to significant examples.<\/p>\n

    \n

    General Examples<\/h3>\n

    Matthew 12:22<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03b8\u03b5\u03c1\u03ac\u03c0\u03b5\u03c5\u03c3\u03b5\u03bd \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u03cc\u03bd, \u1f65\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c4\u03c5\u03c6\u03bb\u1f78\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03ba\u03c9\u03c6\u1f78\u03bd<\/span> \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03bb\u03b1\u03bb\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b2\u03bb\u03ad\u03c0\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd
    \nKJV:<\/strong> … and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0… the blind and dumb<\/b> obviously refer to the same person\n<\/p>\n

    2 Corinthians 1:3<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> <\/span> \u0395\u1f50\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03b7\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f41 \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 <\/span> \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6
    \n<\/span> \u1f41 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 <\/span> \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u03bf\u1f30\u03ba\u03c4\u03b9\u03c1\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 <\/span> \u03c0\u03ac\u03c3\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03ba\u03bb\u03ae\u03c3\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2.
    \nKJV:<\/strong> <\/span> Blessed (be) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    \n<\/span> the Father of the mercies and God of all comfort.
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> <\/span>\u00a0We see two examples of the rule in this verse:
    \n<\/span> (1) the God and Father<\/b> refer to one person.
    \n<\/span>\u00a0(2) Also, the Father of mercies<\/b>, and God of comfort<\/b> refer to the same person.\n<\/p>\n

    2 Corinthians 11:31<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> \u1f41 \u03b8\u03b5\u1f78\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1 <\/span> \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03bf\u1f36\u03b4\u03b5\u03bd …
    \nKJV:<\/strong> The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ knows …
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0the God and Father<\/b>, of our Lord, refer to the same person\n<\/p>\n

    Ephesians 6:21<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u03a4\u03c5\u03c7\u03b9\u03ba\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f41 <\/span> \u1f00\u03b3\u03b1\u03c0\u03b7\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 \u1f00\u03b4\u03b5\u03bb\u03c6\u1f78\u03c2 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 <\/span> \u03c0\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u1f78\u03c2 \u03b4\u03b9\u03ac\u03ba\u03bf\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2 <\/span> \u1f10\u03bd \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u1ff3
    \nKJV:<\/strong> … Tychicus, the <\/b> beloved brother and <\/b> faithful minister <\/b> in the Lord.
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0the brother and minister<\/b> refer to the same person, Tychicus\n<\/p>\n

    Hebrews 3:1<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u03ae\u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f00\u03c0\u03cc\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f00\u03c1\u03c7\u03b9\u03b5\u03c1\u03ad\u03b1 <\/span> \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u1f41\u03bc\u03bf\u03bb\u03bf\u03b3\u03af\u03b1\u03c2 \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6\u03bd
    \nKJV:<\/strong> … consider the Apostle and High Priest<\/b> of our profession, Christ Jesus …
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0the Apostle and High Priest<\/b> of our profession, refer to the same person\n<\/p>\n

    2 Peter 2:20<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u1f10\u03bd \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03b3\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03b5\u03b9 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2 <\/span> \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6
    \nKJV:<\/strong> … in knowledge of the Lord and Savior<\/b>, Jesus Christ …
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0the Lord and Savior<\/b>, refer to the same person, Jesus Christ\n<\/p>\n

    Other examples where we observe this syntactic construct for Sharp’s Rule include the following passages:
    \nRomans 15:6
    \n1 Corinthians 15:24
    \nGalatians 1:4
    \nEphesians 5:20
    \nPhilippians 4:20
    \nColossians 2:2
    \n1 Thessalonians 1:3
    \n1 Thessalonians 3:11
    \n1 Thessalonians 3:13
    \n2 Thessalonians 2:16
    \nColossians 1:3
    \nColossians 1:12
    \nColossians 3:17
    \n2 Peter 3:2,
    \n2 Peter 3:18,
    \nJames 1:27
    \nJames 3:9
    \nRevelation 1:16
    \nRevelation 16:15<\/p>\n

    \n

    Significant Examples Concerning Christ Jesus<\/h3>\n

    Ephesians 5:5<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u1fc7 \u03b2\u03b1\u03c3\u03b9\u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u1fb3 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6<\/span>
    \nKJV:<\/strong> <\/span> … in the kingdom of Christ and of God
    \n<\/span>(unfortunately, this has been poorly translated)
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0… in the kingdom of {One who is} Christ and God\n<\/p>\n

    2 Thessalonians 1:12<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u1f70 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03c7\u03ac\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6 <\/span> \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03ba\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5 <\/span> \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6
    \nKJV:<\/strong> <\/span> … according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ
    \n<\/span>(unfortunately, this has been poorly translated)
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0… according to the grace of the God and Lord {of us}, Jesus Christ\n<\/p>\n

    1 Timothy 5:21<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> \u0394\u03b9\u03b1\u03bc\u03b1\u03c1\u03c4\u03cd\u03c1\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9 \u1f10\u03bd\u03ce\u03c0\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u039a\u03c5\u03c1\u03af\u03bf\u03c5<\/span> \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f10\u03ba\u03bb\u03b5\u03ba\u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f00\u03b3\u03b3\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9\u03bd \u1f35\u03bd\u03b1 \u03c4\u03b1\u1fe6\u03c4\u03b1 \u03c6\u03c5\u03bb\u03ac\u03be\u1fc3\u03c2
    \nKJV:<\/strong> <\/span> I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things …
    \n<\/span>(unfortunately, this has been poorly translated)
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> I charge (thee), before Jesus Christ, the God and Lord, and (before) the elect angels, that thou observe these things …\n<\/p>\n

    Titus 2:13<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u03bc\u03b1\u03ba\u03b1\u03c1\u03af\u03b1\u03bd \u1f10\u03bb\u03c0\u03af\u03b4\u03b1 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03c6\u03ac\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd \u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03b4\u03cc\u03be\u03b7\u03c2 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6<\/span> \u03bc\u03b5\u03b3\u03ac\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5 \u03b8\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2<\/span> \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6
    \nKJV:<\/strong> … that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ ( poor <\/em>)
    \nNKJV:<\/strong> … the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (good<\/em>)
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0… the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ\n<\/p>\n

    2 Peter 1:1<\/h5>\n

    \nGreek:<\/strong> … \u1f10\u03bd \u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u03b1\u03b9\u03bf\u03c3\u03cd\u03bd\u1fc3 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u0398\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6 <\/span> \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u03c3\u03c9\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2 <\/span> \u1f21\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6\u00b7
    \nKJV:<\/strong> … through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ (poor<\/em>)
    \nMeaning:<\/strong> \u00a0… by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ ( good <\/em>)\n<\/p>\n

    It is interesting that the KJV does an excellent job translating 2 Pet 1:11 (just a few verses down) where the same construct is used that we observer in verse 1. There, the KJV renders the text as: “… the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”<\/em> The question is, were the translators willing to call Jesus “Lord” in verse 11, but reluctant to name Him as “God” in verse 1 ?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Grandville Sharp (10 November 1735 \u2013 6 July 1813) is mainly remembered for his work as an abolitionist in the fight against slavery, as well as other social injustices. However,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,266,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","category-theology","category-thoughts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8318"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8385,"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8318\/revisions\/8385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/richimages.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}