Kermos
Well-Known Member
Hello @tigger 2,Either can be correct depending on which meaning one has of 'spirit' in this verse.
If you think Jesus is referring to a spirit person, then the rule for NT Greek count nouns would make the verse say "God is a spirit." (KJV)
If you think 'spirit' is an abstract word, or a word meaning substance (flesh, spirit, water, etc.), then the rule for noncount nouns would make the verse say "God is spirit." (NASB)
Based on modern scholarship with respect to NT Greek translation rules into English, several noun classifications exist when considering specifically sentence predicate nouns that impact the subject:
- count nouns (alternate term: anathrous): would include the indefinite article ("a", "an") for absence of the Greek definite article (Greek "ho" = English "the"). A count noun can be counted, such as desks and pencils. Definition of count noun: a noun that con form a plural or occur with an indefinite article.
- mass nouns (alternate term: non-count nouns; uncountable noun; articular): would omit the indefinite article ("a", "an") for absence of the Greek definite article ("ho"). A mass noun are not countable without modifiers, such as work and oxygen. Definition of mass noun: do not have a plural form and generally fit into particular categories.
- qualitative nouns (alternate term: anathrous): a special case of mass noun which would omit the indefinite article ("a", "an") for absence of the Greek definite article ("ho"). A qualitative noun specifies the attribute or characteristic or quality (hence the term qualitative noun) to the noun in the subject, the category is relevant yet the quality is being carried as well; in other words, a qualitative noun carries both the denotation and connotation. Definition of qualitative noun: function in the sentence is not primarily or solely to designate by assignment to a category/class/classification but to ascribe by the attribution of quality that are marks of the category.
Under NT Greek count noun rules scholarship, the qualitative nouns take precedence over count nouns and non-count nouns.
Now to Lord Jesus' words:
God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
(John 4:24 NASB)
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
(John 4:24 KJV)
The dilemma is whether Jesus, Who is God, conveyed with primacy the quality as well as category of Spirit to God. Consider the first, opening verse of the Bible:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
(Genesis 1:1)
Right at the beginning is God providing a view of God's importance, centrality, pre-eminence. The Word of God points at the Messiah again and again - Jesus Messiah is God. Considering that the Word of God points at Jesus it is writte of God saying "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel" (Genesis 3:15), and thes all wrote of Messiah - Moses and David and Daniel and Isaiah and I could go on.
Now consider the Apostle John's view of Jesus the Word of God:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(John 1:1)
Make no mistake, herein John declares that Jesus is God with the phrase "the Word was God" (another example of the subject being "the Word" and the predicate qualitative noun "God"), for John knows that Jesus is paramount.
Now with "God is Spirit" in John 4:24 there is characteristic intensity within the message that Lord jesus is conveying to worship God in Spirit and Truth, yes "Spirit" is a classification yet much more than categorical thus primarily being the attribute applied to God for God is utterly and seriously paramount!
Exceptions to the anathrous rule for the count noun exist in which a count noun using the definite article the/ho or the predicate noun is a qualitative noun. For example, Joshua 2:11 in the Septuagint contains "theos" (God) rather than "ho theos" (the God) for reference YHWH thus the scripture would not read "He is a god" thus the scripture must need be either "He is God" or "He is the God".
We find that the NASB, NIV, ESV, and Berean Literal Bible ALL CONTAIN "God is Spirit" for John 4:24, and these are all modern translations. On the other hand, the KJV and it's derivative works (such as the ASV published in 1901 rooted in work to revise the 1611 KJV AV back in 1870) contain "God is a Spirit". The NWT - a dangerously unreliable book of the Watchtower Society which they claim to be the bible - includes "God is a Spirit". Here are a couple of works about articular and anathrous nouns (please notice the dates in this paragraph compared to the two scholarly works mentioned next):
"Qualitative Nouns in the Pauline Epistles and Their Translation in the Revised Version" by Arthur W. Slatten, 1918
JBL article, "Qualitative Anarthrous Predicate Nouns: Mark 15:39 and John 1:1." by Phillip B. Harner, 1973
Respecting John 4:24:
A) Spirit as a qualitative noun is a sound translation because Spirit describes an attribute of God.
B) Some might argue that Spirit limited as a count noun could qualify as a potential translation because God is One.
C) Some might argue that Spirit limited as a non-count noun could qualify as a potential translation because the immensity of God.
Bearing in mind all of the above while returning to the fact that the person of the Father and the person of the Son and the person of the Holy Spirit is One God, it is evident that all three noun count forms of translation support the three pesons being One God. The phrase "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24) does not negate the phrase "God is true" (John 3:33) nor the phrase "God is Light" (John 1:4-5, 1 John 1:5) nor the phrase "also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God" (John 5:18) nor the phrase "he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove [and] lighting on Him" (Matthew 3:16) nor the phrase "my God" (John 20:28 - Apostle Thomas testifying to Whom Jesus is) nor the phrase "before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58 - referring back to Exodus 3:14 and even before that thus indicating Jesus is God); in truth, "God is Spirit" fits snugly with the three personifications in One God - this is using the qualitative noun which takes precedent!
Now, all of these posts remain true and valid scripturally:
"One God Three Persons Post (in this thread)"
"The 'I' in John 14:18 Refers to Lord Jesus Post (in this thread)"
"Mary, Pregnant with Lord Jesus, greets Elizabeth, Pregnant with Holy Spirit filled John the Baptist who leaped, Post (in this thread)"
"Refutation that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one person (or maybe it's one spirit or maybe it's both that justbyfaith and 101G attempt to eisegete from scripture) Post (in this thread)"
"The Immeasurable Value of Lord Jesus' Words according to the Son of God Post (in this thread)"
"Refuting License to Abuse Grace Post (in this thread)"
"YHWH, LORD, Elohim, Isaiah 44:24, John 1:3, and Principles of Bible Translation Post (in this thread)"
"God is the Great I AM Post (in this thread)"
"Lord Jesus said 'the One creating' in Matthew 19:4 Post (in this thread)"
"Lord Jesus said 'God [MADE]' in Mark 10:6 Thus Matching Matthew 19:4 Post (in this thread)"
"Elohim, Theos, and God As Used in The Old Testament Post (in this thread)"
"Heretical Teachers about God's Revealed Nature Exposed Post (in this thread)"
Immersed in the One True God that is three distinct personifications of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit,
Kermos