On 5 Aug 2004 10:47:52 -0700, (Rasmus M?ller)
wrote:


The passage is the beginning of the Gospel of St. John.
As such, Jews (except the few christian ones) are not likely
to recognize it to speak with any authority to them.

And in most editions it is capitalized and refers to use of Word back
to its early mystical force. Far more likely to be akin to the awe of
the spoken references to the mystical than any written source.

Interestingly, the Word is often considered to also be a feminine
aspect of the Trinity (in the case of faiths believing in the Trinity)
or God nature, for those either Unitarian or pantheisitic. The passage
mentioned is a primary passage of the Wisdom Goddess or the Sophia
Tradition.

FWIW, it also has counterparts in Jewish mystical thought, although
it splits the equivalent of the Word into Chokhman, Binah and Da'at,
whch are respectively masculine, feminine and the child. The first is
the unknowable source of wisdom, the second the receptacle (and
transmitter) of wisdom and the third is knowledge. I personally would
equate the second most easily with the Word in most Trinitarian
thought and with the Greek Wisdom concept, but not so much that I
would argue the point against anyone that seemed to have spent more
time on the subject...

So, yes, some Jews would certainly be able to argue the concept with
some degree of authority. Also, FWIW, much of the above, especially
the Jewish Kabbalah, were primarily oral tradition - to refer back to
another part of the thread, if I understood what the discussion was
about.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...