[B-Greek] Colossians 1:10
Harold Holmyard
hholmyard at ont.com
Tue Jan 9 14:29:18 EST 2007
Dear Daniel,
> I have been reading the list discussions for some time (much of which is
> over my head, but I try), but this is my first posted question.
>
> I'm reading in Colossians 1 and come to verse 10:
>
> PERIPATHSAI AXIWS TOU KURIOU EIS PASAN ARESKEIAN, EN PANTI ERGW AGAQW
> KARPOFOROUNTES KAI AUXANOMENOI TH EPIGNWSEI TOU QEOU
>
> "to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Lord seeking to please Him
> in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge
> of God"
>
>
> My question is this: In the phrase EN PANTI ERGW AGAQW, it seems like it
> could be read a couple of ways:
>
> 1 - We are to bear fruit in every good work *which we do* (selectively
> choosing which good work to do)
>
> 2 - We are to bear fruit *by doing* every (i.e., each kind of) good work
>
> So, we can either pick and choose which good work we want to do, so long as
> it bears fruit, or we are to do every kind, with the promise that we will
> bear fruit since we are seeking to please God in all things. Should I be
> reading in one way or the other or are both valid?
>
HH: The word PANTI here is in a context of prayer that repeats the word
often in a most general way. Paul prays that they would have "all"
wisdom and spiritual understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord with
"all" approval (1:9-10). He wants the Colossian believers to be
strengthened with "all" power for "all" endurance and longsuffering (Col
1:11). So the word PANTI in the phrase EN PANTI ERGWi AGAQWi probably
has a similarly broad sense.
HH: BAGD says that one of the meanings of PAS is that of "including
everything belonging, in kind, to the class designated by the noun," so
that it has the sense of "every kind of, all sorts of." The lexicon
lists the phrase "every good work" in that category, although they don't
cite Col 1:10. They do cite Tit 1:16; 3:1; Heb 13:21.
HH: Since this is a general prayer, I would expect Paul's words to have
this sense. I don't know that I like either of the alternative
interpretations that you offer. Paul is neither demanding that they
engage in every kind of good work possible, nor is he stressing their
option to choose which good work they want to do. Choice is obviously a
factor in life that Paul would not deny, but life does not always give
us the option of choosing what to do. Some good works become
opportunities simply because of the circumstances in which we find
ourselves. I suppose Paul wants them to be fruitful in all that they do,
knowing that they will need (or want) to do all sorts of things.
Yours,
Harold Holmyard
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