From: boyd@huxcomm.net
Date: Tue Apr 02 2002 - 23:30:44 EST
3.15: EI TINOS TO ERGON KATAKAHSETAI, ZHMIWQHSETAI,
AUTOS DE SWQHSETAI, hOUTWS DE hWS DIA PUROS.
I think that Steven Lo Vullo did an excellent job of explaining this
passage the other day. I just want to make a few comments on
Matt's understanding of it.
Matt wrote:
<<I don't think the solution lies in the force of the
future indicative alone, but rather in the force of the future
indicative *when qualified by an adverb*. Take Jesus' statement in
Matthew 19:23:
AMHN LEGW hUMIN hOTI PLOUSIOS DUSKOLWS
EISELEUSETAI EIS THN BASILEIAN
TWN OURANWN ("Truly I say to you that a rich [man] will enter
into the kingdom of heaven with difficulty [lit. as an adverb, 'hardly'--
or even 'difficultly']").
Jesus here is *not* asserting that a rich man *will* in fact enter the
kingdom of heaven. He is rather asserting the *manner* in which
such a man will--*if* indeed he does: *with difficulty*. (Jesus goes
on to pronounce this to be impossible with men in fact [v. 26])!
Thus the adverb DUSKOLWS is a very powerful qualifier to the
future EISELEUSETAI in this passage--it functions practically as a
conditional clause.>>
IMO, I don't think these two passages are similar enough to be
helpful in comparison. They both have a future indicative verb and
some form of adverbial modifier, but beyond that I don't see a useful
parallel. Certainly, this "parallel" should not override the context of
1 Cor. 3:15.
Matt wrote:
<<I have yet to find a commentary that deals satisfactorily with
Paul's clear allusion to the LXX of Malachi 3:2-5, 19-24 (NA27
notes the parallel in the margin of v. 13). There the prophet talks
about the coming "Day" (judgment) in terms of a refiner's fire--
wherein it is the *righteous* who are tested as gold and silver (Mal
3:3) and the wicked who are regarded as stubble to be consumed
(3:19). Paul mentions the same elements in his metaphor (the
"Day," "fire," etc.).>>
Although Paul may borrow some language from Malachi, we
certainly should not force him to say the same thing, especially on
B-Greek :) Paul doesn't say anything in this passage about testing
of people. Consistently he speaks of the testing of TO ERGON.
Notice especially the last part of v. 13: hEKASTOU TO ERGON
hOPOION ESTIN TO PUR [AUTO] DOKIMASEI.
Jonathan Boyd
Huxley, IA
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