Lifts up or takes away?

c stirling bartholomew cc.constantine at worldnet.att.net
Tue Apr 30 02:34:24 EDT 2002


on 4/29/02 9:36 PM, Eric Weiss wrote:

> Perhaps a similar word study of the Johannine usages of AIRW might help
> determine if "lifts up" really is a plausible interpretation of the word
> in this passage. 

Greetings Eric,

I think you are right about the dogmatic issues which lead AW Pink to
suggest this reading of AIRW in Jn 15:2.

AIRW in John is used for both lifting up and taking away, so a study of that
word isn't going to solve the problem.

DACarson (Pillar, p518) suggests that there is very little hard evidence
that barren branches were lifted up to make them more fruitful.

There is also a discourse consideration. The mainstream reading of AIRW in
Jn 15:2 sets of a contrast in that verse which makes sense when viewed in
terms of the contrast in Jn 15:6. A.W. Pink's reading breaks down the
symmetry by destroying this contrast.

I think Pink's nervousness about the theological implications of this
passage was without foundation. Plenty of hard core Augustinian types have
accepted the reading "take away" in this passage without loosing any sleep
over it. But that is off topic.

good evening,

clay 


--  
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062





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