ἀδελφὸν (adelphon) in John 1:41: Noun Accusative Singular Masculine
ἀδελφὸν (adelphon) in John 1:41
Textual Witness
The witness reads ἀδελφὸν in John 1:41, within the phrase οὗτος πρῶτος τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The form helps identify Simon as the one found in the action, which keeps the focus on the witness and the message about the Messiah.
How To Communicate It
In translation or teaching, render it naturally as brother and note that the case marks its role in the sentence, not a separate theological idea.
What Not To Say
- Grammatical form should serve context, not override it.
- Accusative case indicates sentence function here, but it does not by itself define every nuance of relationship.
- Masculine grammatical gender is a form feature, not a theological gender claim.
What Does The Label Mean?
Noun: this form names a person, thing, or relationship, and here it refers to a brother in the sentence.
Accusative: this form usually marks a direct object or closely related object-like role in the clause.
Singular: this form is grammatically singular in this occurrence, pointing to one brother in view.
Masculine: the noun belongs to the masculine grammatical class, which by itself does not make a theological claim.
What The Form Does In This Verse
The object phrase naming Andrew's own brother Simon
It is part of the object phrase after the verb of finding, so the grammar presents the brother as the one found.
The form functions as the direct object within the phrase identifying Andrew's brother Simon.
It is not the subject of the clause, and the case alone does not say anything about spiritual status or importance.
How Much The Form Matters Here
Moderate: The form identifies the person Andrew finds, supporting the narrative movement of witness.
Accusative noun in the object phrase. identifies the person found. Attached to the phrase naming Andrew's own brother Simon. Governed by the verb of finding. The grammar clarifies the object of the action, while the context carries the witness significance.
Whom did Andrew find? He found his own brother Simon; the accusative noun is part of that object phrase.
Direct: The accusative relation directly supports rendering the phrase as the person Andrew found.
The relationship term should be read from the narrative, not expanded beyond the family relation stated here.
Masculine noun proves theological status: The masculine form marks grammar and relationship in context, not a separate theological status.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The witness reads ἀδελφὸν in John 1:41, within the phrase οὗτος πρῶτος τὸν ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἴδιον Σίμωνα.
The lemma ἀδελφός normally means brother, and it can refer to a literal brother or, more broadly, to a kin or fellowship relationship.
Here the accusative works with εὑρίσκει to show who is found, while the surrounding words narrow the referent to Simon, his own brother.
The verse says that the finder located his brother Simon and then spoke to him about the Messiah.
In this Gospel, family language can remain ordinary family language, and it also supports wider themes of shared testimony and kinship in response to Jesus.
A reader can communicate the point plainly as a brother being found, without pressing the grammar beyond the immediate narrative relation.
Do not derive a different lemma, a hidden theological rank, or a gendered doctrinal claim from the masculine accusative form alone.