Anarthrous θεός in 1:1c: Colwell, Harner, and the qualitative sense

Says In θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος (theos ēn ho logos, "the Word was God"), ὁ λόγος is the subject, marked by the article. θεός is the predicate nominative, anarthrous and fronted before the verb for emphasis.

Colwell's rule (1933) observes that definite predicate nominatives placed before the verb usually lack the article. The rule does not work in reverse: a preverbal anarthrous predicate is not thereby shown to be definite. Harner (1973) argued that such predicates are usually qualitative, describing what the subject is. Wallace (GGBB, on Colwell's construction) summarizes the debate. Our wording is our own.

Three construals: 1. Definite ("the Word was the God just named"). This would identify the Word with the Father and collide with 1:1b, where the Word is πρὸς τὸν θεόν. It tends toward modalism. 2. Indefinite ("a god"). It is grammatically possible in isolation, but John's monotheism rules it out, and so does his use of anarthrous θεός for the one God in this same prologue (1:6, 12, 13, 18a). 3. Qualitative (the Word has the full nature of God). Team preference.

Implies Making ὁ λόγος the only articular noun keeps the clause from being convertible ("God was the Word"), so the Word has the full divine nature without being the whole Godhead. Read with 1:1b, the clause asserts both distinction and deity.

Uncertain Whether θεός is purely qualitative or qualitative with a definite nuance. Neither option allows "a god."