[B-Greek] 2 Corinthians 5.10

Harold R. Holmyard III hholmyard at ont.com
Mon Nov 15 09:06:53 EST 2004


Dear Arthur,

>I am new to this list and it is my first 
>posting. I am a pastor and by no means a Greek 
>scholar. My question is concerning two works 
>found in 2 5.10 where Paul says we will all 
>appear before the judgment seat of Christ and 
>receive rewards for what we have done in our 
>body whether good or bad. My question has to do 
>with those words "good or bad" (agathos and 
>phaulos) and in particular phaulos. I am 
>wondering if the typical translation of "good 
>and bad" has missed something very important. 
>First of all the context indicates that the "we" 
>throughout this section refers only to 
>Christians. So, if the traditional translation 
>of "good and bad" stands, then some Christians 
>will receive some sort of punishment at the 
>judgment seat. I have a problem with that. The 
>only place where any sort of reprimand or 
>punishment for Christians is mentioned in 
>connection with the judgment is in 1 Cor. 3 
>where Paul is not speaking about Christians in 
>general but only those who publicly teach the Gos
>  pel. Matthew 25 says nothing about Christians 
>being reprimanded at the judgement seat. They 
>receive only rewards for good works. The word 
>phaulos is not merely identical to kakos which 
>clearly means bad or evil. Phaulos can also mean 
>"trivial" or "light". If this can stand up to 
>scrutiny, the text would mean that all 
>Christians who appear before the judgment seat 
>of Christ will receive rewards for all their 
>works whether "noble" or "trivial". This 
>connects to Jesus words that if we give a cup of 
>cold water to one little one who believes we 
>will not lose our reward. Giving a cup of cold 
>water is trivial or light compared to being 
>martyred for Christ.
>
>So, what do you scholars think? I know I am 
>going way out of the main stream on this one.

HH: First, I don't think 1 Corinthians 3 is only 
talking about teachers of the Gospel:

1Cor. 3:9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
1Cor. 3:10 ¶ By the grace God has given me, I 
laid a foundation as an expert builder, and 
someone else is building on it. But each one 
should be careful how he builds.

HH: Paul is addressing all the Corinthians. Each 
person builds something with his life. Each of us 
is a servant of Christ.

HH: Second, the word FAULOS, according biblical 
usage seems to indicate something bad, not just 
trivial. BAGD has as glosses: "worthless, bad, 
evil, base." Look at the other NT verses where it 
occurs:

John 3:20 Everyone who does EVIL hates the light, 
and will not come into the light for fear that 
his deeds will be exposed.
John 5:29 and come out - those who have done good 
will rise to live, and those who have done EVIL 
will rise to be condemned.
Rom. 9:11 Yet, before the twins were born or had 
done anything good or BAD - in order that God's 
purpose in election might stand:
Titus 2:8 and soundness of speech that cannot be 
condemned, so that those who oppose you may be 
ashamed because they have nothing BAD to say 
about us.
James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish 
ambition, there you find disorder and every EVIL 
practice.

HH: Liddell & Scott lists the meaning you 
mention, but we do not see it in the biblical 
materials. There are ten OT uses of FAULOS, and 
the nearest to your idea would be LXX Job 6:3 and 
6:25, where Brenton glosses the word as "vain." 
But FAULOS still seems to have a negative 
connotation in these contexts, describing words 
that are useless and perhaps unacceptable to the 
hearers.

					Yours,
					Harold Holmyard 



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