The Milta: "The Manifestation" in John 1 and the Revelation of God in Genesis 1:1's "Creation"
Many of us, of course, have seen that John 1:1's "In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, the Word was God" parallels Genesis 1:1's "In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth," I did not realize to what extent John illumined the meaning of Genesis.1;1.
In Genesis, God created the heavens and the earth as His revelation. He put His Milta, the essential connotation of Himself in the heavens and the earth. I.e., the heavens and the earth are God's Manifestation.. I.e. again, the heavens and the earth are themselves AND God. The two (the created and the Creator) were One. God in them is the Milta, which in Aramaic (John's native language) means the essential connotation for a person or thing. In a sense, the universe is two things: the created universe AND God, His Milta.
The Testament of John, John 1:1-5 in Victor Alexander's Aramaic New Testament (ISBN 9781456475789) says,
1. In the beginning [of creation] there was the Manifestation*; And that Manifestation was with God; and God was [the embodiment of] that Manifestation.
2. This was in the beginning with God.
3. Everything was within his power*, [otherwise] nothing would ever exist.
4. Through him [there] was Life* and Life became the spark* of humanity
5. And that [ensuing] fire* lights the darkness and darkness does not overshadow it.
Footnotes:
1:1 "Milta" is an Aramaic word that has been set aside for only sacred use. Only the Messiah Eashoa is ever to be called the Milta. Grammatically, "Milta" means the essential connotation for a person or thing. There is no true English language equivalent for this word.
1:3 Literal Aramaic idiom [Lit. Ar. id.]: "[In his] hand."
1:4.1 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "And without his hand, not one [thing that] became would have become."
1:4.2 "Lives," whenever it represents: "life everlasting" is stated in the plural. When used in this sense it will always be capitalized in this translation and appear as "Life."
1:4.3 Lit. Ar. id.: "Light."
1:5 Lit. Ar. id.: "Light."
It is apparent that while the two were one, half of the equation got screwed up becoming UNLIKE the other half. The Milta fixed that, becoming (by imagining He was the man born on the earth, thus actually becoming the man AS WE ALL HAVE) the equalizing agent IN THE SPIRIT AND THE FLESH who died for them. This is the story that saves and heals. I do not know HOW He became or becomes flesh and died or dies, but He says He did. He EVIDENCES Himself. I do not know how it is or was done, but I have NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER that He accounts it done to the fullest extent possible--completed!
If you do not already have it, I urge you to get the Aramaic New Testament by Victor Alexander. It might strike you as a rather amateurish publication -- I believe it was a one-man effort -- but he writes with a native Aramaic speaker's understanding and perspective. Well worth it. Well, let's cut to the chase: you are a fool if you don't have it.
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