[B-Greek] love: or love,

Harold Holmyard hholmyard3 at earthlink.net
Wed Apr 11 08:25:37 EDT 2007


Bryant J. Williams III wrote:
> Dear Mitch,
>
> I think it is taking it to its logical conclusion since "fruit = KARPOS" is
> being taken as singular not as a plural "fruits." Without love, one cannot
> have joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, ... These "fruit of the Spirit"
> flow from the one to other. Furthermore, it is the opposite of the works
> (deeds) of the flesh which come quite naturally to the human being. Paul
> uses the same logic in distinguishing between "seed = singular" versus "seed
> = plural" in dealing with the promised being given to Isaac in 3:15-20.
>   

HH: The word "fruit" in its Hebrew, Greek, and English forms is a 
collective singular, so there is no problem in speaking of different 
kinds of fruit. Paul's logic in arguing that the seed applies to Christ 
as the singular seed is an artificial argument, since "seed" is likewise 
a collective singular. His readers should have understood the argument 
to be artificial, aimed at making a point. Paul deliberately makes such 
an argument, but he does not do that in Gal 5:22-23.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard




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