Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 1:7

πιστεύσωσιν. Following the uncial MSS., the best editors add ν ἐφελκυστικόν before consonants and vowels alike: πᾶσι and δυσί are occasional exceptions, and perhaps γιγνώσκουσι (John 10:14). Winer, 43.

7. οὗτος sums up the preceding verse as in John 1:2. ἦλθεν refers to the beginning of his public teaching: ἐγένετο in John 1:6 refers to his birth.

εἰς μαρτυρίαν. For witness, not ‘for a witness;’ to bear witness, not ‘to be a witness.’ What follows, ἵνα μ. π. τ. φ., is the expansion of εἰς μαρτυρίαν. The words μαρτυρία and μαρτυρεῖν are very frequent in S. John’s writings (see on John 1:34). Testimony to the truth is one of his favourite thoughts; it is inseparable from the idea of belief in the truth. Testimony and belief are correlatives.

ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ. The subjunctive with ἵνα after a past tense, where in classical Greek we should have the optative, prevails throughout the N.T. The optative gradually became less and less used until it almost disappeared. When the pronunciation of οι became very similar to that of η, it was found that a distinction not discernible in speaking was not needed at all. On ἵνα see next verse.

πιστεύσωσιν. Used absolutely without an object expressed: comp. John 1:51; John 4:41-42; John 4:48; John 4:53; John 5:44; John 6:36; John 6:64; John 11:15; John 11:40; John 12:39; John 14:29; John 19:35; John 20:8; John 20:29; John 20:31.

δι' αὐτοῦ. Through the Baptist, the Herald of the Truth. Cf. John 5:33; Acts 10:37; Acts 13:24.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 1:7

Old Testament

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