Re. 1 Cor 12:13
Paul F. Evans
evans at wilmington.net
Thu Nov 12 06:50:42 EST 1998
List,
Still working through 1 Cor 12.
KAI GAR EN ENI PNEUMATI HMEIS PANTEV EIS EN SWMA EBAPTISQHMEN EITE JIOUDAIOI EITE ELLHNEV EITE DOULOI EITE ELEUQEROI...
...KAI PANTES hEN PNEUMA EPOTISQHMEN.
...even as we all drank the one Spirit.
In verse 13 the last portion of the verse, is translated in the KJV as "made to drink...." This some what deflects the main emphasis in the idea Paul seeks to communicate; they all have a common experience of the Spirit. Is it as accurate to say, "We all drank the one Spirit"?
Here are my problems in understanding the text. The preceding list overshadows the following statement and contrasts with the one Spirit. To over do the passive in English forces attention from the main idea of the entire pericope and jars one look for who is acting upon us instead of the direction of the action which seems to be the point. Also, the idea of drinking into the Spirit, is not what Paul means at all is it? Doesn't he mean that the Spirit is what is drunk! He is the object of the verb, right? How much force is given to the passive when rendering it into English? Should it enjoy a stronger recognition? In other words is there truly an emphasis on the idea of being acted upon? I think that Paul is trying to make the point that all have a similar experience of the one Spirit, and that the passive is a necessary way to express the idea, but may not be the main point. To say "made to drink..." shifts the emphasis (maybe) so how to my mind! (not that I have one)
Someone comment on the KAI please! Is this a sort of "even as" type of thing, or is it something else?
Now that I have muddied the waters so much, I'll step out and let it settle.
Thanks!
Rev. Paul F. Evans
Wilmington First Pentecostal Holiness Church
Wilmington, NC
Web-Page: http://wilmingtonfirst.churches.wilmington.org/
E-Mail: evans at wilmington.net
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