notes

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notes 1452680586362 Disclaimer This page was automatically converted from a module that was shared prior to the release of Published Pages. Additionally, the arc below was auto-converted from the arc created by the author (which used the old module), and so it is possible there are misplaced logical relationships.

Notes

2011-11-23 13:46:42

2011-11-28 13:00:13

There are 7 grammatical points in vv. 3-4 which must be considered, and have influenced my translation: I have construed the article Τὸ at the beginning of v. 3 as being grammatically equivalent in this context to the demonstrative pronoun τοῦτο. In my translation of v. 3, I have inserted the present participle 'being', making the first phrase of this verse a clause which is complete in itself. This serves to clarify the causative sense of the present participle and gives an easier flow in English. In conjunction with γὰρ, understanding the implied verb to be a form of 'to be' has the effect of making τὸ refer backwards, so that v. 3ff. becomes explanatory of v. 1ff. I am taking the genitive construction τοῦ νόμου at face value, parting ways with most modern commentators who take it as equivalent to the dative τῷ νομῷ. I have taken ἀδύνατον in an active sense (hence the translation 'disabled' / 'disability') in order to convey the idea that Paul himself proceeds to stress, namely that the law is not intrinsically powerless, but has become 'disabled' through other factors. I am proposing that ἐν ῷ be understood temporally, meaning 'when, while, for as long as'. Given Paul's use of the imperfect tense ἠσθένει, which does appear to be significant, a temporal understanding of ἐν ῷ seems to be appropriate. I have attempted to bring out the force of the imperfect tense of ἠσθένει by translating it as 'used to be weak'. I am reading it as an iterative imperfect. Because the significance of the imperfect tense is widely overlooked by commentators, the time element implicit in the imperfect tense is concealed, giving the impression that Paul is stating a timeless truth. However, it seems that Paul's use of the imperfect is actually quite significant, implying that there is a time when, or a state in which, the law is no longer weak. The final point of grammatical debate concerns the significance of διά τῆς σαρκός. This is usually translated as 'through the flesh', but this translation suffers from being vague. Sometimes the phrase is taken as an instrumental clause, and Käsemann argues that in spite of the genitive, διά should be taken as 'on account of'. However, the significance of the genitive, especially when couple with the use of the imperfect tense ἠσθένει, should not be so easily overlooked. I have arrived at my proposed translation here as considering διά + the genitive as expressing environment or attendant circumstance. Given that the primary meaning of διά in a local sense always has attached to it the idea of coming through our out (cf. Winer, 472.), it is likely that the transferred sense of passing through a metaphorical environment (the flesh) will also contain the idea of emerging from it, and thus it seems again that in this construction, διά + the genitive, is closely related to the imperfect sense of the verb ἠσθένει. All of the above realities influenced my arc of this passage. This is only to say that grammar matters, and understanding the Greek text is pivotal for correctly exegeting this passage.

10000000096223 96223 Notes 2011-11-23 13:46:42 2011-11-28 13:00:13 There are 7 grammatical points in vv. 3-4 which must be considered, and have influenced my translation: I have construed the article Τὸ at the beginning of v. 3 as being grammatically equivalent in this context to the demonstrative pronoun τοῦτο. In my translation of v. 3, I have inserted the present participle 'being', making the first phrase of this verse a clause which is complete in itself. This serves to clarify the causative sense of the present participle and gives an easier flow in English. In conjunction with γὰρ, understanding the implied verb to be a form of 'to be' has the effect of making τὸ refer backwards, so that v. 3ff. becomes explanatory of v. 1ff. I am taking the genitive construction τοῦ νόμου at face value, parting ways with most modern commentators who take it as equivalent to the dative τῷ νομῷ. I have taken ἀδύνατον in an active sense (hence the translation 'disabled' / 'disability') in order to convey the idea that Paul himself proceeds to stress, namely that the law is not intrinsically powerless, but has become 'disabled' through other factors. I am proposing that ἐν ῷ be understood temporally, meaning 'when, while, for as long as'. Given Paul's use of the imperfect tense ἠσθένει, which does appear to be significant, a temporal understanding of ἐν ῷ seems to be appropriate. I have attempted to bring out the force of the imperfect tense of ἠσθένει by translating it as 'used to be weak'. I am reading it as an iterative imperfect. Because the significance of the imperfect tense is widely overlooked by commentators, the time element implicit in the imperfect tense is concealed, giving the impression that Paul is stating a timeless truth. However, it seems that Paul's use of the imperfect is actually quite significant, implying that there is a time when, or a state in which, the law is no longer weak. The final point of grammatical debate concerns the significance of διά τῆς σαρκός. This is usually translated as 'through the flesh', but this translation suffers from being vague. Sometimes the phrase is taken as an instrumental clause, and Käsemann argues that in spite of the genitive, διά should be taken as 'on account of'. However, the significance of the genitive, especially when couple with the use of the imperfect tense ἠσθένει, should not be so easily overlooked. I have arrived at my proposed translation here as considering διά + the genitive as expressing environment or attendant circumstance. Given that the primary meaning of διά in a local sense always has attached to it the idea of coming through our out (cf. Winer, 472.), it is likely that the transferred sense of passing through a metaphorical environment (the flesh) will also contain the idea of emerging from it, and thus it seems again that in this construction, διά + the genitive, is closely related to the imperfect sense of the verb ἠσθένει. All of the above realities influenced my arc of this passage. This is only to say that grammar matters, and understanding the Greek text is pivotal for correctly exegeting this passage. notes

Arc

2011-11-23 13:46:42

2011-11-28 13:00:13

editing

Romans

Romans 8:1-4

NT

na27

mine

Οὐδὲν ἄρα νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.

ὁ γὰρ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέν σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made you free from the law of sin and of death.

negativepositive

Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου

For this being the law's disability

ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός,

while it used to be weak in the sphere of the flesh,

temporal

ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας

God, having sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,

κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί,

condemned sin in the flesh,

actionmanner

ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ

in order that the law's righteous requirement might be fulfilled

ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν

in us who do not walk according to the flesh

ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα.

but according to the Spirit.

actionpurpose

situationresponse

ideaexplanation

na27

discourse

10000000096223 96223 Arc 2011-11-23 13:46:42 2011-11-28 13:00:13 editing Romans 8 1 8 4 Romans 8:1-4 45 NT na27 mine i225819 i225820 i225810 Οὐδὲν ἄρα νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. i225811 ὁ γὰρ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέν σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made you free from the law of sin and of death. negativepositive 2 i225821 i225822 i225812 Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου For this being the law's disability i225813 ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, while it used to be weak in the sphere of the flesh, temporal 1 i225823 i225824 i225814 ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας God, having sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, i225815 κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί, condemned sin in the flesh, actionmanner 1 1 i225825 i225816 ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ in order that the law's righteous requirement might be fulfilled i225826 i225817 ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν in us who do not walk according to the flesh i225818 ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα. but according to the Spirit. negativepositive 2 actionmanner 1 actionpurpose 2 situationresponse 2 ideaexplanation 1 1 1 1 na27 25 mine 25 a 50 discourse