1 Cor 3:15 (The force of the future indicative)

boyd at huxcomm.net boyd at huxcomm.net
Tue Apr 2 23:30:44 EST 2002


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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