[B-Greek] Eph 4:22-24

Mike Sangrey MSangrey at BlueFeltHat.org
Mon Jun 27 15:10:35 EDT 2005


On Mon, 2005-06-27 at 13:35 -0500, David Bielby wrote:
> Dear Carl,
> 
> Once again I find myself at odds with Stott in his commentary on Ephesians.
> He specifically claims these verbs represent not something that is to be
> done, but something that has been done.  Quoting pg 180 in "The Message of
> Ephesians" by John R.W. Stott,
> 
> 'RSV is seriously misleading in that it renders the infinitive verbs as if
> they were imperatives....in Ephesians 4 as in Colossians 3....the verbs are
> not fresh commands but old ones that he is now reminding them of.'
> 
> FF Bruce draws a comparison to Col 3 and says there is a difference with Eph
> 4. It seems Stott uses the comparison to interpret Eph 4 to be past
> descriptions.  But the difference between these passages cannot be used to 
> change Eph 4...so I have to go with FF Bruce & you on this one.
> 
> Does Vs 23   ANANEOUSQAI DE TWi PNEUMATI TOU NOOS hUMWN  also have a bearing
> since it's a present tense?

I'm a little confused.  (Well, it's not the first time...)  Though it
appears to me that a wrong turn was taken somewhere.

These infinitives are simply the objects of DIDASKW in verse 21.  The
past-tense-ness (if you will) resides in that verb.  So, while the
infinitives somewhat carry the sense of an imperative that was
previously given, tense (ie. time) doesn't enter into the infinitive.
These infinitives should simply be understood as a restatement of what
was previously taught--they are objects.  The aorists are used as
punctiliar and the present is used for continuance.

In other words:

"You all were taught:
     1. To put off...
     2. To be in the process of renewal...
     3. To put on..."

Also, I wouldn't necessarily assume these three must be thought of as
proceeding through time in the above order.  In other words, I think
this could easily be understood as "you were taught to put off and to
put on as well as to be in the process of renewal."
 
-- 
Mike Sangrey
msangrey AT BlueFeltHat.org
Landisburg, Pa.
                        "The first one last wins."
            "A net of highly cohesive details reveals the truth."




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