Three People in the Prophecy

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 108267

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "meidbh" <meidbh at y...> wrote:

Meidbh:
>  
> This theory is wonderful - so good I hope I forget it so I can 
still 
> be surprised when I reach book seven!
> 
> BUT but but...
> Harry is the one who can destroy VM ("the one with the power to 
> vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...the dark Lord will mark him as 
> his equal" OoP). Note the wording "THE one...approaches" not "A 
> one...approaches". Only one person can destroy VM and that person 
is 
> marked by him. It can only be Harry.

Geoff:
Grammatically, you could have said just "one" which would still carry 
the same meaning of a particular person. 

This is interestingly paralleled in the New testament when John the 
Baptist foretells the coming of Jesus. Matthew records John as 
saying: "after me will come one...", Mark: "after me will come 
one..." and Luke: "but one more powerful than I will come.." The most 
fascinating parallel is from John (the Apostle) who uses both "one" 
and "the one"; he writes: "'I baptise with water,' John repled, 'but 
among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after 
me....'"