καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
Let us begin with a phrase that has echoed through centuries of theological discourse, a sentence that is deceptively simple in form yet astonishingly rich in grammatical nuance and doctrinal weight:
> John 1:1c: καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
This final clause of the prologue to the Gospel of John—“and the Word was God”—has been at the heart of Christological debates since antiquity. Yet beneath its surface lies a grammatical structure that is both subtle and instructive: the subject-predicate nominative construction with the verb ἦν, the imperfect tense of εἰμί (“to be”).
In this lesson, we will explore how the syntax of this clause functions within the broader framework of Koine Greek grammar, especially focusing on the predicative use of the nominative case without the article, and what this reveals about the identity of the λόγος (Word) as presented by the evangelist.
The Structure of Identity: Subject and Predicate Nominatives
At first glance, the clause appears straightforward:
– καὶ – conjunction
– θεὸς – noun, masculine singular, nominative
– ἦν – verb, third person singular, imperfect indicative active of εἰμί
– ὁ λόγος – noun, masculine singular, nominative
We are told that “the Word was God.” But how does this work grammatically?
Let’s break down the morphology and syntax:
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | n/a | Conjunction | “and” | Connects clauses; here, continuing the tripartite structure of v. 1 |
| θεὸς | θεο | Noun, masc. sing., nom. | “God” | No article; predicative nominative |
| ἦν | εἰμ | V–3rd pers. sing., impf. indic. act. | “was” | Imperfect tense suggests ongoing state or existence |
| ὁ λόγος | λόγ | Noun, masc. sing., nom. + art. | “the Word” | Nominative subject with article |
What stands out immediately is the absence of the definite article before θεός, while it is present before λόγος. In English translations, we would expect an article before “God” for clarity—but in Greek, the lack of one here is not accidental; it is syntactically significant.
This is a classic example of a subject-predicate nominative construction, where both nouns appear in the nominative case because they are linked by a copulative verb like εἰμί. In such constructions, one noun serves as the subject, and the other as the predicate nominative (i.e., the complement of the verb).
In most cases, the subject carries the article, and the predicate does not—just as we see here:
– ὁ λόγος = subject
– θεὸς = predicate nominative
This aligns with a well-documented pattern in Greek grammar: when using εἰμί to equate two entities, the subject often takes the article, while the predicate does not.
To illustrate this further, consider another NT example:
> Acts 10:26 – ἐγὼ μὲν ἄνθρωπος εἰμί
> “I am a man” — literally, “I indeed [am] man.”
Here, “man” (ἄνθρωπος) lacks the article but functions as the predicate nominative. The same logic applies in our verse.
The Article and Its Absence: A Deliberate Theological Signal?
Now, some might ask: if θεός lacked the article, could it mean “a god,” implying something less than full divinity? This argument has been made by certain theological traditions, notably Jehovah’s Witnesses, who render the verse: “and the Word was a god.”
However, from a linguistic standpoint, this interpretation ignores the standard function of the article in predicate positions. In classical and Koine Greek, the lack of the article before a predicate noun is normal when used with εἰμί. It does not diminish the noun’s definiteness—it simply follows the rules of predication.
Consider these parallels:
> Matthew 8:17 – ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· αὐτὸς τὰς ἀσθένειας ἡμῶν ἔλαβεν καὶ τὰς νόσους ἐβάστασεν.
> Here, ἡμῶν (“our”) modifies ἀσθένειας (“infirmities”), which lacks the article but is clearly definite.
> John 4:24 – πνεῦμα ὁ θεός (“God is spirit”)
> Again, no article before πνεῦμα, yet clearly referring to Spirit in a qualitative sense.
The absence of the article before θεός in John 1:1c is not a sign of indefiniteness, but rather a reflection of Greek word order and case usage in equational statements. Moreover, the position of θεός at the beginning of the clause emphasizes its importance, suggesting a qualitative force: “the Word was fully divine,” not merely “a god among many.”
This phenomenon is sometimes called the Colwell Construction, named after E.C. Colwell, who noted that in Greek equational sentences, the predicate noun may precede the subject and omit the article when it precedes the verb without affecting its definiteness.
It is crucial to emphasize that Colwell’s observation applies specifically to cases where the predicate precedes the verb, not universally to all predicate nouns. In our verse, θεός comes directly before the verb ἦν, fulfilling this condition and supporting the conclusion that it is definite and functioning as the predicate nominative.
Thus, the structure in John 1:1c reinforces the deity of Christ while adhering to the grammatical conventions of the time.
From Syntax to Theology: The Word Who Is God
Beyond its grammatical precision, this clause carries immense theological freight. The evangelist is not merely stating that the Word shares attributes of God—he is declaring that the Word is God.
The subject-predicate nominative construction allows for a direct identification between the two entities. There is no intermediary term, no metaphorical comparison—just the stark assertion of identity.
And yet, this is not a blunt declaration. It is carefully crafted. The placement of θεός at the front of the clause, followed by the linking verb and then the subject, creates a kind of dramatic pause, emphasizing the weight of the statement. The reader is left to absorb the full impact of the claim: the Word, who was with God in the previous clause, now turns out to be none other than God himself.
This syntactic choice mirrors the theological progression of the verse:
– First, the Word is with God
– Then, the Word is God
It is a movement from relational proximity to ontological identity—a journey mirrored in the very structure of the language.
Particles That Shape Meaning: The Role of καὶ
A brief note on the conjunction καὶ (“and”) at the beginning of the clause. In English, it might seem redundant—after all, isn’t this just the third part of a list?
But in Greek, καὶ can serve a climactic function, especially when used to introduce a final clause in a sequence. It signals not just addition, but intensification. Think of it as a rhetorical drumroll:
– First clause: Existence → “In the beginning was the Word”
– Second clause: Relationship → “and the Word was with God”
– Third clause: Identity → “and the Word was God”
Each καὶ builds upon the last, culminating in the most profound revelation. The use of καὶ here is not merely connective—it is cumulative, drawing the reader toward the climax of the prologue.
Dramatic Pause and Divine Revelation
Let us step back for a moment and examine the entire structure of John 1:1:
> Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
Three clauses, each introduced by καὶ, each building toward the final declaration. The first establishes eternity, the second relationship, and the third identity.
But notice the shift in word order in the final clause:
– Normal S-V-P (Subject-Verb-Predicate): “The Word was God.”
– But John writes: θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος – P-V-S
This inversion places θεὸς in the emphatic position—before the verb—highlighting its significance. The result is a rhetorical crescendo, a literary device that intensifies meaning through structure.
This is not just poetry—it is theology encoded in syntax.
Echoes of the Imperfect
While the main focus of this study has been the subject-predicate nominative construction, we must not overlook the verb itself: ἦν, the imperfect tense of εἰμί.
The imperfect tense often denotes continuous or habitual action in the past. So why use it here?
Because the evangelist wants to emphasize the eternal preexistence of the Word—not a momentary event, but an ongoing state of being. The Word did not come into being at the beginning; he already was.
Thus, even the tense of the verb contributes to the theology of the passage. The Word’s existence is not bounded by time; his being is eternal.
In sum, every grammatical feature of John 1:1c—from the absence of the article to the placement of θεός, from the use of καὶ to the tense of the verb—works together to proclaim a truth both linguistically precise and theologically profound:
> καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
> And the Word was God.
