Article February 2, 1935 Issue

Bible Notes

"God is a Spirit" (John 4:24)—It is of interest to note that Dr. Westcott, well known as editor of the Greek New Testament, renders the original literally, "God is Spirit" (The Gospel According to St. John, p. 161); as do Moffatt, Weymouth, the Twentieth Century New Testament, margin of the Revised Version, Goodspeed, and other authorities.

"Without form, and void" (Gen. 1:2)—The Hebrew words thus translated are usually found together and are practically synonyms, the first meaning "waste, emptiness, desolation, nothingness," and the second, "emptiness or chaos." The assonance of the original "tohu wa bohu" is well suggested by Moffatt's "void and vacant." C. F. Kent suggests "waste and void"; and Smith, "a desolate waste."

"And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:5; cf. vs. 8)—Literally, "and there was evening and there was morning; day one." The Jewish day was and still is regarded as extending from sunset to sunset, hence it was natural that in setting down the record of creation, the Hebrew historian should mention the evening first (cf. Hastings' Bible Dictionary: Vol. IV, Article "Time").

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