[B-Greek] KATA PROQESIN
George F. Somsel
gfsomsel at juno.com
Sat Aug 14 16:18:44 EDT 2004
On Sat, 14 Aug 2004 12:17:01 -0700 (PDT) Mitch Larramore
<mitchlarramore at yahoo.com> writes:
> Romans 8:28
>
> OIDAMEN DE hOTI TOIS AGAPWSIN TON QEON PANTA SUNERGEI
> EIS AGAQON, TOIS KATA PROQESIN KLHTOIS OUSIN
>
> I have read that if one reads from the early church
> fathers, most (practically all before Augustine) took
> PROQESIN to mean the word "choice." There was a
> parallel thought perhaps with TOIS AGAPWSIN, that is,
> those that love God and those that chose God.
>
> The translation was something to this end:
>
> ..to those called in accordance with a [their own]
> choice..
>
> The idea I take from this understanding would be that
> God is not said here to work all things, but that all
> these things are working with limitation, such as only
> to those who love God and only to those who made the
> appropriate choice (assuming that ALL are called but
> less than all choose).
>
> Without commenting on the theological implications of
> this, can others help me think through the pros and
> cons of this ancient understanding of PROQESIN in this
> context.
>
>
>
>
> =====
> Mitch Larramore
> Spring Branch, Texas
> Student/Memorial High School
> _______________________________
Mitch,
I think you have been misinformed regarding the understanding of this
passage by the early Fathers. Note what Clement of Alexandria said in
Chapter 3 of the Paedegogus
But the pitch does good, it is said. Nay, it defames, say I. No one who
entertains right sentiments would wish to appear a fornicator, were he
not the victim of that vice, and study to defame the beauty of his form.
No one would, I say, voluntarily choose to do this. For if God foreknew
those who are called, according to His purpose, to be conformed to the
image of His Son, for whose sake, according to the blessed apostle, He
has appointed Him to be the first-born among many brethren,? are they
not godless who treat with indignity the body which is of like form with
the Lord?
or again, in the Stromata iv. 7
And the Saviour has said to us, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is
weak.? Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, explains the
apostle: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed, can
be. And they that are in the flesh cannot please God. And in further
explanation continues, that no one may, like Marcion? regard the creature
as evil. But if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but
the Spirit is life because of righteousness. And again: For if ye live
after the flesh, ye shall die. For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be
revealed in us. If we suffer with Him, that we also may be glorified
together as joint-heirs of Christ. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them that are called
according to the purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did
predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be
the first-born among many brethren. And whom He did predestinate, them He
also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He
justified, them He also glorified.?
Nevertheless, this is not to be a discussion of authorities on the basis
of theology. The phrase KATA PROQESIN appears 3 times in the LXX (not at
all) and the NT -- here and twice in Ephesians (1.11 and 3.11). The
passage in 3.11 is of interest in that it reads
KATA PROQESIN TWN AIWNIWN hHN EPOIHSEN EN TWi XRISTWi IHSOU TWi KURIWi
hHMWN
It would be difficult to assert that this has any reference to a
choosing on man's part since it refers to that grace of God which
manifest in an eternal choice on his part.
george
gfsomsel
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