[B-Greek] EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS
virgil newkirk
virgilsalvage1 at msn.com
Mon Jun 7 22:11:26 EDT 2004
Dear B-Greekers,
What first comes to mind when you are confronted by the phrase or term--Good
Works ? Be honest and remember what the first impression was that came to
mind. You will need it later in the matter I would like to present. Was it
not something we might perform ? I know that is the first thing that I think
of..
What follows is something that I never had considered until a few weeks ago
after having looked closely at the Greek of Ephesians 2:10
Recently, in a small group setting we were asked to memorize some verses.
Among them was Ephesians 2:10. Here are what a few translations offer for
Eph 2:10b:
KJV: created in Christ Jesus "unto" good works
NIV: created in Christ Jesus "to do" good works
NLT: created in Christ Jesus "so that we can do" the good things"
NASB: created in Christ Jesus "for" good works
Ephesians 2:10 reads:
AUTOU GAR ESMEN POIHMA KTISQENTES EN CRISTWi IHSOU EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS OIS
PROHTOIMASEN hO QEOS hINA EN AUTOIS PERIPATHSWMEN
When I looked at this verse in the Greek I was surprised and taken back by
the use of EPI preceeding ERGOIS AGAQOIS. Virtually all English translations
represent this phrase as unto or for or even (NIV) as an infinitive.."to do"
good works. Quite frankly, I said to myself...what's EPI doing there and how
could anyone translate the preposition EPI as "to do"..or even "unto" ? One
of which is verbal...the other inferring direction towards.
This contemplation led to the following conclusion on my part and that that
conclusion is demanded by the Greek. Am I mistaken and if you think so
..why ?
ERGOIS AGAQOIS here, is not related to good works that we may or may not
perform, but, in fact, to the good works accomplished in and by Christ and
that these good works and their results are the "basis" of our KTISQENTES EN
CHRISWi IHSOU; EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS ! I believe this impression is required by
the Greek because:
EPI+Dative according to BDAG is a marker of presence or occurrence near an
object or area, at, near--b. with Dative, of immediate proximity at, near,
or by. 6./ Marker of basis for a state of being, action, or result, on. With
Dative.
Now, this would require a rendering such as:
" We are ones having been established (founded) in Christ Jesus.."on" "on
the basis of" good works "
Everything that is anything that is founded, that is, established; is
founded or established first "on" or "on the basis of" something. Is it not
? The same is being described here by the Greek, I believe. Our, that is,
we--have been KTISQENTES EN CHRISTWi IHSOU...on what basis ? On....what ?
EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS.
It would be easy to come up with a list of these "good works" that have been
done and that in fact, the rest of verse 10 states that it is God who before
prepared them that we should walk in them.
Just a few.. In cooperation and working (producing)ERGAZOMENOS with His
Father he has brought about the Lamb of God. The Vine. The Bread of Life.
The Cleansing Blood. Which issues into the Saving Life. The Church. The
Revelation. All of which meet the qualifications of having been before
prepared by God beforehand and naturally containing the requirement that we
walk in them. After all, without Him; we can do "nothing".
Among the many things that show that Paul is in these verses describing our
position and condition in Christ is verse 11 which is part of the immediate
context and is a further description of what we were and what we are now.
Drawing attention to what it is that we "must" realize concerning our being
in Christ. Not necessarily (at this point) to be concerned with what we must
be "doing"--which I would like to suggest again; is not being said in the
Greek of Ephesians 2:10b.
Are there any arguments from a different perspective that can cancel out
this conclusion of mine ? If there are and they are so...I would hope I
would want to know and believe that very thing.
One other matter that is key in this verse and that everything turns
on....GAR. Whatever follows is an extension and expansion of what is
contained in verse 9 at least. Yes ?
Virgil Newkirk
Salt Lake City, Utah
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list