DIKAIOS

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Mon Oct 18 09:28:12 EDT 1999


  To: Carl W. Conrad,

<<  I still believe that DIKAIOS in Mt 1:19 (IWSHF DE hO ANHR AUTHS, 
DIKAIOS WN KAI MH QELWN AUTHN DEIGMATISAI ...) carries in it the richer 
sense of "righteous/ness" in Matthew's gospel--not strict observance of the 
law itself, but appreciation of God's will represented in the law and 
attentiveness to that, and most particularly--this is fundamentally 
Matthaean--a recognition of God's demand for ELEOS. That's what I think is 
involved in the present assertion that Joseph is unwilling to make a public 
spectacle of Mary. >>

Although I initially opposed the idea, when you put this way, your 
explanation makes sense. Although I would suggest that "Torah observance" 
and being merciful, were probably not contrary for Matthew.

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com

 From Luther's Large Catechism: "Why, do you think, is the world now so 
full of unfaithfulness, shame, misery, and murder? It is because everyone 
wishes to be his or her own master, be free from all authority, care 
nothing for anyone, and do whatever he or she pleases. So God punishes one 
knave by means of another" (BoC 386.154).



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