Lifts up or takes away?

Trevor & Julie Peterson 06peterson at cua.edu
Mon Apr 29 07:45:25 EDT 2002


Jim wrote:

> besides- what on earth could it
> possibly mean to say *every branch in me that does not bear fruit he lifts
> up*?????  whats he lifting it up to?  in the nt the notion of *lifting up*
> is the notion of exaltation.  so is your translator friend suggesting that
> those christians who do not bear fruit will be exalted???  this is most
> novel and extraordinarily unique.

I've heard this reading before. The idea (at least, the way I saw it
explained) was that the lifting up refers to some sort of horticultural
practice used to enhance the performance of unproductive branches. So the
lifting up is not to exalt these unfruitful ones but to provide special care
to remedy the situation. I make no claim to any proofs for this reading, but
put that way I think it's at least plausible.

Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics




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