Matt 24:5

Jon R. Venema Grammata at compuserve.com
Wed Nov 25 05:07:42 EST 1998


Juan

The claimant, "anyone" (v4) of "many" (POLLOI v5), 
comes "in the name" (of Jesus, IHSOUS EIPEN v4; 
MOU, v5).  The words, EPI TW ONOMATI MOU ("in
my name"), suppose the validation of the claim ("I am
the Christ") requires the credentials of Jesus to have
any validity (power to deceive, v4) to his followers at
that time (cf. 24:1-3 looking to the TO SHMEION THS
SHS PAROUSIAS).

The validation ("in my name") and the claim ("I am the
Christ") point to an imposter (cf. 24:23-25).  Perhaps we
are to understand that Jesus himself will not depend 
upon such credentials to confirm his PAROUSIA (24:27).

Direct address is indicated by context (not to mention
tense and person) and sometimes by hOTI (recitative).   
Indirect disourse (without consulting the grammars and
search engines) usually retains the tense of the direct
discourse but changes the person.  

The early church was fond of making a more pregnant
declaration of Jesus "in the third person":  "Jesus is Lord"
(Rom. 10:9; 1Cor 12:3).

I hope there is some help to be found in this memo.

Jon R. Venema
Western Seminary



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