[B-Greek] Remove or lift up? John 15:2
bobgee at brightok.net
bobgee at brightok.net
Sat Mar 19 11:18:16 EST 2005
In the book, Secrets of the Vine, Bruce Wilkinson translates AIREI, in
John 15:2, as "lifts" rather than "takes," "removes," or "cuts off" (NIV).
He assumes the relationship of the branch being in the vine, conveyed in
Jesus metaphor (John 15:1-8), is the same as Paul's concept of the
believer being "in Christ," and he is interested in avoiding any idea of
Christians losing that secure status. So he tells an anecdote of a branch
that has sagged to the ground as it grows which is "lifted," cleaned off,
and attached to a supporting device. He then states that Jesus meant to
say that the Father lifts up, cleans up, and securely establishes
believers who sag in their devotion (Secrets of the Vine, pp. 33-35).
However, without discussing the validity of coordinating the words of
Jesus and Paul in the way Wilkinson does, I wonder about the soundness of
his translation. It seems to me that AIREI cannot possibly mean "lifts" or
"lifts up" in this case, because of the immediate, near, and broader
contexts.
(1) The immediate context
The full statement, in the first part of the verse, PAN KLHMA EN EMOI MA
FERON KARPON AIREI AUTO, seems to demand the idea that the "branch"
(KLHMA) is being "removed" (AIREI) from being "in me" (EN EMOI).
(2) The near context
John 15:6 seems to further explain the circumstance of being "removed,"
stated in verse 2. It reads, in the NIV translation, "If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers ..."
(3) The broader context
In this passage, the issue is whether or not the branches will remain in
the vine. At least five times between verses three and eight, in
imperative and declarative forms of the word MENW, the disciples are urged
to remain in Him. (If it is impossible not to remain, the metaphor is
meaningless.)
Avoiding the full theological implications of the passage and focusing
only on Wilkinson's translation in this three-fold context, is it (1)
impossible (as I believe), (2) improbable, or (3) at least possible (as
some of my fellow pastors believe) to legitimately translate AIREI as
merely "lifts," in John 15:2?
Bob
Garringer
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