From: Mark Wilson (emory2oo2@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Oct 02 2000 - 00:42:13 EDT
<x-flowed>My apologies upfront for having a difficult time reducing this question to
its simplest form.
1 John 1:6
EAN EIPWMEN hOTI KOINWNIAN ECOMEN MET AUTOU KAI EN TWi SKOTEI PERIPATWMEN,
YEUDOMEQA KAI OU POIOUMEN THN ALHQEIAN
Can someone help me understand the word POIEW as it is used in conjunction
with ALHQEIA?
I am trying to distinguish in my mind how one can "do the truth."
Everyone seems to understand this word POIEW as "do" or "practice." And the
definition that comes to my mind is some kind of "public action that others
observe."
If this is even partly true, then would we not have to limit ALHQEIA to a
few commands in Scripture that one can observe another performing? (In other
words, how would we know whether or not someone is walking in darkness, if
"doing" is not open to public scrutiny?)
For example, I can physically observe another believer "going to church."
And since some might contend that Scripture admonishes us to go to church, I
can now determine whether or not another believer is "doing the truth."
Please do not disregard this question as "making fun." I am actually having
a hard time understanding this.
Let me clarify myself one more way.
For example, let me quote Ephesians 1:7:
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of his grace"
Now, there is nothing for me to POIEW here. Although this statement would
fall within the scope of ALHQEIA, I cannot actually "do" this truth, since
it does not ask for me to perform some public, external act. So, is this
"truth" not under consideration when John talks about "doing" the truth?"
I am only using this example to clarify my question.
How can I explain that we are to POIEW truth, if a particular truth is
not-doable?
I realize, after re-reading my question, that this sounds silly, but I do
not mean it to be. I think I am just having a hard time understanding POIEW
with ALHQEIA. And I am actually not looking for any theological response,
not even OFFLIST.
If I do not limit ALHQEIA in any way, such that Eph. 1:7 falls within its
confines, then I think that the idea of POIEW is similar to PERIPATEW. That
is, "doing" has to do with how one lives his or her life in general. I can
live my life in gratitude for the truth of Eph. 1:7, but it would seem
awkward to say that I am doing (POIEW) the truth by so living. But, that may
very well include the lexical reach of POIEW. Does it? (After all this
writing, I think this last paragraph may have been sufficient!)
Thank you,
Mark Wilson
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