Re: Re. A possible conceptual link between EXOUSIA & DUNAMIS inActs 1:8

Paul F. Evans (NewName@wonet.buu.net)
Tue, 10 Dec 1996 20:25:34 -0000

Carl,

Your comments were immensely helpful. I am going to atttempt to use what
limited resources I have to determine in EXOUSIA and DUNAMIS appear in such
close promimity as they do here in Acts 1:8. May I ask for a gut feeling?
Do you think that this this is coincidental or a deliberate link of ideas?

If someone else on the list with the technological wizzardry can do a
search I would be grateful. Several days ago, Stephen invested 10 secs in
one I believe he said!

Luke's wording here, ...hO PATHR EQETO EN TNi IDIAi EXOUSIAi, seems to
accord with what you describe as the sense of EXOUSIA as authority derived
from "...an unquestionably legitimate source, so that "license" or
"certification"--such as the physician gets from the State board, a lawyer
gets from the State bar, etc., etc., is exactly the sense called for," in
that God is said to have "designated" that authority to Himself alone. It
was something not to be shared with the disciples. Is that a fair enough
conclusion? What is intriging is the ALLA. It expresses an adversative,
but to what? In the context it can only be (IMveryHO) with repsect to
EXOUSIA and DUNAMIS. The two form the only discernable contrasts that I
can see. What I need to determine is if Luke, or anyone else for that
matter, makes this kind of apparent association regularly.

I seem to be getting the idea that Jesus is telling the disciples that what
they have asked is outside of their sphere of their authority Verse 7), but
that they will be powerfully engaged in the work of the Kingdom
nonetheless,
but as witnesses of Jesus Christ. Any comments? There is an
eschatalogical sense to all of this it seems.

Paul F. Evans
Thunder Swamp Pentecostal Holiness Church
MT. Olive, NC

"Endeavouring to make use of New Testament Greek in a real live ministry!"

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