Translation of "Logos"

C

chretienorthodox

Guest
Unfortunely english translations of New Testament translate greek word "Logos" by "Word". It's a mistake. At http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=91216&dict=CALD main sense for word "word" is: "a single unit of language which has meaning and can be spoken or written".
Saint John evangelist in his gospel declares: "the 'Logos' was made flesh" John 1:14. Also saint John Chrysostom clear explains: 'Logos' is the Wisdom or Reasoning of trinitarian God. The Son of God Father, also God. God's saying (words) is just the third Person of God, Holy Ghost or Spirit. It never incarnated. Therefore correct translation of word 'Logos' when it referred to incarnated Son of God commonly called Jesus Christ, is 'God Wisdom' or 'God Reasoning'.
 

Psalmodius

New member
Logos really does not even need to be translated, as a technical theological term. However, "Word" is not a bad translation. It can be understood more broadly than an item of speech.
 

Γιώργος Μ.

Γιώργος Μπάτζιος
The depth and expressiveness of the word " Word " denoting Christ is not significantly limited in comparison with the greek " Λόγος ".
As an example, I will quote the famous English bishop Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), who on a Christmas night around 1600 delivered a speech stating this at a certain point:
❝ What, Verbum infans, the Word an infant?​
The Word and not able to speak a word? ❞​

This text by Andrews was the motive behind T.S. Eliot's famous enigmatic verse (in the poem Gerontion)
❝ The Word within a word, unable to speak a word❞​

The meaning is that In order to fit his infiniteness within the constraints of the human condition, the Word becomes unable to articulate the language He created. A linguistic dimension of self-emptying.
 

Psalmodius

New member
The depth and expressiveness of the word " Word " denoting Christ is not significantly limited in comparison with the greek " Λόγος ".
As an example, I will quote the famous English bishop Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), who on a Christmas night around 1600 delivered a speech stating this at a certain point:
❝ What, Verbum infans, the Word an infant?​
The Word and not able to speak a word? ❞​

This text by Andrews was the motive behind T.S. Eliot's famous enigmatic verse (in the poem Gerontion)
❝ The Word within a word, unable to speak a word❞​

The meaning is that In order to fit his infiniteness within the constraints of the human condition, the Word becomes unable to articulate the language He created. A linguistic dimension of self-emptying.

Andrewes is a great! I have a copy of his private prayerbook, which was translated to English from Greek after his lifetime. I think it's mostly lifted from the Greek holy fathers and liturgical texts.
 
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