John 14:7

Footnotes

1. 15 There is a difficult textual problem here: The statement reads either “If you have known (οἐγνώκατε, egnōkate) me, you will know (γνώσεσθε, gnōsesthe) my Father” or “If you had really known (ἐγνώκειτε, egnōkeite) me, you would have known (ἐγνώκειτε ἄν or ἂν ἤδειτε [egnōkeite an or an ēdeite]) my Father.” The division of the external evidence is difficult, but can be laid out as follows: The that have the perfect ἐγνώκατε in the protasis (𝔓66 [א D* W] 579 it) also have, for the most part, the future indicative γνώσεσθε in the apodosis (𝔓66 א D W [579] sa bo), rendering Jesus’ statement as a first-class condition. The that have the pluperfect ἐγνώκειτε in the protasis (A B C D1 L Θ Ψ f1, 13 33 𝔐) also have, for the most part, a pluperfect in the apodosis (either ἂν ἤδειτε in B C* [L] Q Ψ 1 33 565 , or ἐγνώκειτε ἅν in A C3 Θ f13 𝔐), rendering Jesus’ statement a contrary-to-fact second-class condition. The external evidence slightly favors the first-class condition, since there is an Alexandrian-Western alliance supported by 𝔓66. As well, the fact that the readings with a second-class condition utilize two different verbs with ἄν in different positions suggests that these readings are secondary. However, it could be argued that the second-class conditions are harder readings in that they speak negatively of the apostles (so K. Aland in ); in this case, the ἐγνώκειτε … ἐγνώκειτε ἄν reading should be given preference. Although a decision is difficult, the first-class condition is to be slightly preferred. In this case Jesus promises the disciples that, assuming they have known him, they will know the Father. Contextually this fits better with the following phrase (v. 7b) which asserts that “from the present time you know him and have seen him” (cf. John 1:18).