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“Dr. Edward Dalcour’s book, An Introduction to Christian Apologetics: Necessity and Purpose, is precisely what the title indicates: a sound and Scriptural defense of the Christian faith, showing both in its necessity and purpose…. I’m grateful that he has put into print these basic principles of apologetics, especially for the benefit of those beginners who desire some sure-footing on how to both think about—and to defend—the Christian faith toward others…. May this introductory guide help you therefore take God’s Word to heart, believing that it is the very power of God unto salvation in Jesus Christ!”
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EDWARD L. DALCOUR is the President and Director of the Department of Christian Defense, an educational and apologetic ministry. He is a Mentor at Greenwich School of Theology and serves as Vice President of Grace Bible University. Dr. Dalcour holds a Master of Apologetics from Columbia Evangelical Seminary and a Ph.D. in Theology from North-West University. He is a published author of several apologetic and theological books including A Definitive Look at Oneness Theology: In the Light of Biblical Trinitarianism.
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My two favorite Greek NT variants- John 1:18 (from P75) and Jude 1:5 (P72) , both of which are second cent. MSS.:
John 1:18: No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known (ESV).
There are about thirteen variant readings, although three are viable:
The best and earliest witnesses (P66 P75 א* B C* L et al.) support the reading μονογενὴς Θεὸς (monogenēs Theos, “unique, one and only God” etc., as reflected in most modern standard translation.
However, in P75 (unlike P66 et al.) the adjective monogenēs is articular – meaning, it has the article – ὁ μονογενὴς Θεὸς (ho monogenēs Theos (“THE unique, one and only God”). This “ascriptive” (attributive) use of the adjective (i.e., “the”-adjective-noun order), puts greater emphasis on the adjective than the noun (cf. Robertson, Pappas, Wallace). Hence, the Son is the UNQIUE God, who is timelessly existing at the Father’s bosom.
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Jude 1:5: “… Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt….” (ESV).
Although weighty evidence supports the reading Ἰησοῦς (“Jesus,” A B 33 1739 2344 et al. vg cop, bo eth Origen Cyril et al.),- P72 which is the earliest Greek MS containing portions of Jude, contains an interesting variant:
Lit., “that God Christ a people out of the [land] of Egypt having been saved.”
The phrase “God Christ” is written as a divine title in P72 (Nomen Sacrum): ⲑ̅ⲥ̅ ⲭ̅ⲣ̅ⲥ̅ (the contraction of θεὸς Χριστός (Theos Christos).
Although not a viable variant, it is consistent with biblical doctrine of Jesus Christ–the two natured person, God in the flesh–the “God Crist”!