[B-Greek] "eis" in Acts 2:38

Charles Rempel CharlesR at mygalaxyexpress.com
Sat Jan 8 00:46:14 EST 2005


BAPTISQHTO ... EIS APHESIN TWN AMARTIWN - My favorite the - the aorist
passive imperative!

It is the responsibility of the exegete to read what the text says, not
eisegete ones theology into the text.

This text clearly reads that one should "be baptized ... into the
forgiveness of sins." Using the illustration of the arrow going into a
circle from Dana and Mantey, the arrow would be the process of Baptizw and
the circle would be the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the process of
moving the individual from the unbaptized state to the baptized state. The
Acts passage defines one aspect of the baptized state to be the forgiveness
of sins. The unbaptized state is the lack of forgiveness of sins.

Since METANOHSATE is aorist active imperative it is the action which man
must take in order to allow himself to be baptized (passive voice).

The great problem with this passage is not the preposition EIS, but the
eisegesis of theology into the meaning of BAPTIZW.

Dr. James W. Dale, in his treatise's(6 volumes I believe) on BAPTIZW clearly
lays out the formulation for understanding this passage and all the others
on baptism, likewise. I summarize in my own words. The preposition EN gives
the intermediary agency by which one is baptized, not included in this
passage. The preposition EIS gives the receiving element into which one is
baptized.

If we stick with the text it will produce accurate theology. If we eisegete
false meaning into BAPTIZW we will argue theology from now until eternity.

Charles D. Rempel
30 year student
Without Portfolio





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