[B-Greek] Question on range of meaning of PISTIS/PISTOS as usedin GNT
Jeffrey B. Gibson
jgibson000 at attbi.com
Tue Feb 25 09:35:59 EST 2003
Iver Larsen wrote:
> PISTOS can in the NT refer to "a believer". But being a believer in the NT
> sense is not primarily an intellectual accept of a doctrine or a set of
> doctrines, but a matter of surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord, and in that
> sense, the idea of loyalty and unwavering commitment is part of it, I
> believe. It would be a contradiction in terms to talk about an "unfaithful
> believer".
I wonder if we should also factor into the equation that it would be part of the
mental furniture of Mediterranean minds, and even among such "monotheists" as
Jews, that there were manly lords and many gods with whom one might align
oneself. In other words, one who was attempting to be PISTOS was involved in
making a choice about who deserved one's allegiance. It was never a choice
between belief and unbelief, but between one Lord and another.
If this seems foggy and confused, it's because I've not yet had my morning
coffee.
Yours,
Jeffrey Gibson
--
Jeffrey B. Gibson, D.Phil. (Oxon.)
1500 W. Pratt Blvd. #1
Chicago, IL 60626
jgibson000 at attbi.com
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