So, Let me tell you a little bit about myself and then ask my question. I like to read Christian fiction novels(Dee Henderson, Frank Peretti, etc.,) Love puzzles like Rubik's cube, Sudoku, and the like.
I am trying to learn Greek to better understand the Bible. I haven't gotten very far, but, while I am in the process of learning, I have been studying different passages of scripture.
My Question concerns John 10:11 where Jesus says: I am the shepherd the good.(Greek word order). I have been told, and have read in different places, that this is an example of what is called "the restrictive use of the attributive adjective". However, it seems that there is a difference of opinion on what the purpose of this is.
One website, http://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/adjectiv.htm, says this:
To me, it seems that the author is saying that the Restrictive use of the Attribute Adjective is being used to emphasis the word "good" above the word "shepherd"."The Restrictive Use of the Attribute Adjective: For example John 10:11 Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd". In Greek, the word order is "I am the shepherd the good", that is 'article', 'noun', 'article', 'adjective'. This is the second way the attributive adjective can be formed. The noun 'shepherd' is being modified by the adjective 'good'. Notice that 'good' still comes after the second definite article which modifies this noun. This position helps to emphasis the quality of "good" as if to say that not all shepherds are good. It could be translated, "I am the shepherd, that is, the good one (as opposed to the others who are not good)"."
However, A. T. Robertson's A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, page 776, has this to say when the definite article is repeated in John 10:11(this is under the heading of adjectives):
It seems to me that A. T. Robertson is saying that both the noun and the adjective are receiving equal emphasis."2. The other Construction (Repetition of the Article): In the order I am the shepherd the good both the substantive and adjective receive emphasis and the adjective is added as a sort of climax in apposition with a separate article."
I'm confused. Which way do we go with this?