Tag Archives: 2 Corinthians 13:11

Romans, Part 76

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Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.[1]  The words translated evil for evil are κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ in Greek.  Both κακὸν and κακοῦ are forms of κακός.  Love is οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν (literally, “not counting” or “not reckoning the evil”) Paul wrote believers in Corinth.  Love is not resentful (NET), does not take into account a wrong suffered (NASB), keeps no record of wrongs (NIV), are a few English translations.  Love does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor.  Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.[2]  So the love that is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (along with joy, peace, patience, etc.) fulfills μηδενὶ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἀποδιδόντες (literally, “no one evil against evil deliver”), part of the definition of love in Paul’s letter to the Romans, translated Do not repay anyone evil for evil in the NET.

The next clause, consider what is good before all people, while accurate mostly seems to me to have been toned down some to become a rule I might obey in my own strength.  The word translated consider is προνοούμενοι (a form of προνοέω), “to perceive before, foresee” in the definition in the NET.  In other words, demonstrate this foresight (apart from the Holy Spirit) at the very moment I am most offended at having been wronged (or burn in hell for all eternity).  Have I belabored this point enough yet?  And as I’ve said over and over, I belabor it mostly for my own benefit since I’m the one who seems most hell-bent on perceiving the Bible as a book of rules rather than as a Gospel of salvation!

The word translated good is καλὰ (a form of καλός).  I’ve written elsewhere contrasting the beautiful good of Jesus to the pious good of religious people.  You are the light of the world, Jesus said.  A city located on a hill cannot be hidden.  People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.[3]

The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death.  Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) deeds from the Father.  For which one of them are you going to stone me?”  The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good (καλοῦ, another form of καλός) deed but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.”[4]  It is probably worth noting that Jesus didn’t turn to Genesis 1:26 and say, “God said, ‘we will be made man.’”  So the difficult (NET notes 84 and 85) answer recorded in John 10:34-36 may serve as circumstantial evidence for an early date for vowel points.  But Jesus turned his listeners’ attention back toward his beautiful good deeds (John 10:37, 38 NET):

If I do not perform the deeds of my Father, do not believe me.  But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

Jesus’ beautiful good deeds recorded in John 1-9 are listed below:

2:1-11 Jesus turned water into wine after his host ran out of wine
2:14-22 Jesus cleansed the temple of thieves and profiteers
2:23 Other unspecified miraculous signs prompted many to believe in his Name
4:4-42 Jesus prophesied to a Samaritan woman
4:46-54 Jesus healed the son of the royal official of Capernaum
5:1-15 Jesus healed a disabled man who did not believe
6:1-15 Jesus fed more than 5,000 people, many of whom did not believe (John 6:26)
7:31 The preponderance of miraculous signs persuaded many
8:3-11 Jesus’ gracious answer to an angry mob dissuaded them from violence
9 Jesus healed a man born blind

I debated whether I considered the cleansing of the temple a beautiful or pious good, but decided that the worthiness of the goal overshadowed the violence of the act.  I included John 8:3-11 because it is still in the text, it is beautiful, I believe it is true, and otherwise don’t have a dog in this fight (John 7:53 NET note 139).  But this exercise put something into focus for me I hadn’t fully appreciated before.  The religious minds of the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus not so much for his words but for his beautiful good deeds which gave those words such weight with the people relative to their own teachings.  “No one ever spoke[5] like this man,”[6] the officers excused themselves for failing to arrest Jesus.

The Holy Spirit does no miraculous signs through me, whether it is my disobedience, disbelief or that the people who raised me are correct that miraculous signs are no longer necessary because we have the New Testament.  (I haven’t found the latter in the Bible myself.)  Paul described a non-miraculous way to consider what is good before all people as it pertained to financial matters (2 Corinthians 8:18-21 NET):

And we are sending along with [Titus]  the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel.  In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help.  We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering.  For we are concerned (προνοοῦμεν, another form of προνοέω) about what is right (καλὰ, a form of καλός) not only before the Lord but also before men.

The sins of some people are obvious, Paul wrote Timothy, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later.  Similarly good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden.[7]  And he contrasted beautiful good deeds with those which are not for Titus.

Beautiful Good Deeds

Those Which Are Not
This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good (καλῶν, another form of καλός) works.  These things are good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) and beneficial for all people.

Titus 3:8 (NET) Table

 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.

Titus 3:9 (NET)

If possible, Paul continued in Romans, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.[8]  The Greek word translated live peaceably is εἰρηνεύοντες (a form of εἰρηνεύω).  The all people part of this will be difficult for a soldier in battle.  As for the rest of us: Salt is good (καλὸν, another form of καλός), but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?  Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace (εἰρηνεύετε, another form of εἰρηνεύω) with each other.[9]  Paul added, live in peace (εἰρηνεύετε, another form of εἰρηνεύω), and the God of love and peace (εἰρήνης, a form of εἰρήνη) will be with you,[10] and, Be at peace (εἰρηνεύετε, another form of εἰρηνεύω) among yourselves.[11]

How do we fulfill these commands, admonitions, rules or laws?  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (εἰρήνη), patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.[12]  What I didn’t say in the previous essay because of my own phobia of turning these verses back into rules I strive to obey in my own strength, I will say now since my phobia is so out in the open:  We are given permission here to live as the Holy Spirit is prompting us to live.  We are free to believe that, Against such things [e.g., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control] there is no law.[13]

Where the NET translators chose You must put away for ἀρθήτω ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν, Young’s Literal Translation reads: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice, and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you.[14]  The verb ἀρθήτω (a form of αἴρω) means to lift.  Let all of this be lifted from you by the mighty carrying capacity of that river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High,[15] that fountain of water springing up to eternal life,[16] the Holy Spirit who produces his fruit within me when I get out of his way and stop making sinful, theological or ecclesiastical excuses.  John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away (αἴρων, another form of αἴρω) the sin of the world!”[17]

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, Paul continued in his letter to the Romans, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.[18]  I want to pause here briefly to highlight how God’s sense of justice may differ from our own (Revelation 16:4-7 NET):

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.  Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are just – the one who is and who was, the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink.  They got what they deserved!”  Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!”

Rather, Paul continued, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.[19]  The good with which we overcome evil is ἀγαθῷ (a form of ἀγαθός) in Greek.  According to Jesus, No one is good (ἀγαθὸς) except God alone.[20]  The good with which we overcome evil is God alone: for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you—of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast; for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good (ἀγαθοῖς, another form of ἀγαθός) works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk (περιπατήσωμεν, a form of περιπατέω).[21]  In the Spirit walk (περιπατεῖτε, another form of περιπατέω) ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete.[22]

[1] Romans 12:17 (NET)

[2] Romans 13:10 (NET)

[3] Matthew 5:14-16 (NET)

[4] John 10:31-33 (NET)

[5] See: Matthew 9:1-8 (NET)

[6] John 7:46b (NET)

[7] 1 Timothy 5:24, 25 (NET)

[8] Romans 12:18 (NET)

[9] Mark 9:50 (NET)

[10] 2 Corithians 13:11b (NET)

[11] 1 Thessalonians 5:13b (NET)

[12] Galatians 5:22, 23a (NET)

[13] Galatians 5:23b (NET)

[14] Ephesians 4:31, 32 (YLT)

[15] Psalm 46:4 (ESV)

[16] John 4:14b (NET)

[17] John 1:29 (NET)

[18] Romans 12:19 (NET)

[19] Romans 12:20, 21 (NET) Table

[20] Mark 10:18b (NET)

[21] Ephesians 2:8-10 (YLT)

[22] Galatians 5:16 (YLT)

Romans, Part 75

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Live in harmony (φρονοῦντες, a form of φρονέω) with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.  Do not be conceited.[1]  I can’t find live or harmony in the Greek here, τὸ αὐτὸ εἰς ἀλλήλους φρονοῦντες.  The phrase translated do not be haughty is μὴ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονοῦντες (literally, “no lofty thought” or “no high-mindedness”).  I would translate the first sentence, “Think of one another” or “Consider one another, not generalities, but specifics,” the down and dirty, nitty-gritty of another’s life and outlook.  For by the grace given to me, Paul already wrote, I say to every one of you not to think more highly (ὑπερφρονεῖν, a form of ὑπερφρονεώ) of yourself than you ought to think (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) but to think (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) with sober discernment (σωφρονεῖν, a form of σωφρονέω), as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.[2]

Paul prayed, and I assume believed, that God would give his readers this thinking (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) of one another, translated unity below:  For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance (ὑπομονῆς, a form of ὑπομονή) and through encouragement (παρακλήσεως, a form of παράκλησις) of the scriptures we may have hope.  Now may the God of endurance (ὑπομονῆς, a form of ὑπομονή) and comfort (παρακλήσεως, a form of παράκλησις) give you unity with one another (τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ἐν ἀλλήλοις) in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.[3]

Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.  So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord!  This must not happen to you!”  But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind (φρονεῖς, another form of φρονέω) on God’s interests, but on man’s.”[4]  Mark’s Gospel informs that Jesus spoke this way to Peter after turning and looking at his disciples.[5]

Then Jesus said to his disciples, Matthew’s Gospel continued, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”[6] This his disciples were already doing in the most literal way imaginable, but in their thinking they walked according to the flesh.  The Holy Spirit had not yet been given.  As Paul wrote the Romans, those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped (φρονοῦσιν, another form of φρονέω) by the things of the flesh…[7]

The Holy Spirit transforms our thinking: but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit,[8] Paul continued.  Keep thinking (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) about things above, not things on the earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.[9]  I thank my God every time I remember you, Paul wrote believers in Philippi.  I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.  For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  For it is right for me to think (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace together with me.[10]

Paul expounded on this Holy Spirit thinking in his letter to the Philippians (2:1-13; 3:18-21 NET):

Therefore, if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort provided by love, any fellowship in the Spirit, any affection or mercy, complete my joy and be of the same mind (φρονῆτε, another form of φρονέω), by having the same love, being united in spirit, and having one purpose (φρονοῦντες, a form of φρονέω).  Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.  Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.  You should have the same attitude (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature.  He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!  As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [e.g., yehôvâh] to the glory of God the Father.   So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed (ὑπηκούσατε, a form of ὑπακούω), not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence,  for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.  Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think (φρονοῦντες, a form of φρονέω) about earthly things.  But our citizenship is in heaven – and we also await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform these humble bodies of ours into the likeness of his glorious body by means of that power by which he is able to subject all things to himself.

Paul stressed that this thinking is not something we accomplish in the flesh.  He trusted God to accomplish it through his Spirit (Philippians 3:4b-15 NET):

If someone thinks (δοκεῖ, a form of δοκέω) he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials (σαρκί, a form of σάρξ), I have more: I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews.  I lived according to the law as a Pharisee.  In my zeal for God I persecuted the church.  According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.  But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.  More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! – that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.  My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already attained this – that is, I have not already been perfected – but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this.  Instead I am single-minded [ἓν δέ; “but one” or “one moreover”]: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead, with this goal in mind (σκοπὸν, a form of σκοπός), I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore let those of us who are “perfect” embrace this point of view (φρονῶμεν, another form of φρονέω).  If you think (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) otherwise, God will reveal to you the error of your ways.

In Galatians Paul was concerned specifically about Gentile believers accepting circumcision as necessary or beneficial, but I think we can hear his words in this context as well, if we were to turn this thinking from the Holy Spirit into a human program to “live in harmony” (Galatians 5:4-10a NET Table):

You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!  For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness.  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love.  You were running well; who prevented you from obeying (πείθεσθαι, a form of πείθω) the truth?  This persuasion (πεισμονὴ) does not come from the one who calls you!  A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!  I am confident (πέποιθα, another form of πείθω) in the Lord that you will accept (φρονήσετε, another form of φρονέω) no other view.[11]

Thinking of one another implies a mutual concern: I have great joy in the Lord because now at last you have again expressed your concern (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) for me. (Now I know you were concerned [ἐφρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω] before but had no opportunity to do anything.)[12]  And it implies some tolerance for one another’s quirks: One person regards (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) one day holier than other days, and another regards (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) them all alike.  Each must be fully convinced (πληροφορείσθω, a form of πληροφορέω) in his own mind.  The one who observes (φρονῶν, another form of φρονέω) the day does (φρονεῖ, another form of φρονέω) it for the Lord.[13]

While I don’t doubt that this thinking from the Holy Spirit will result in something like harmony or unity or agreement eventually, I’m not entirely comfortable when forms of φρονέω are translated agree: I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree (φρονεῖν, another form of φρονέω) in the Lord;[14] and, Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice, set things right, be encouraged, agree (φρονεῖτε, another form of φρονέω) with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.[15]  I don’t believe that the Holy Spirit meant some form of group-think or committee work.

The Jerusalem council agreed unanimously to send a letter to the Gentiles which read: For it seemed best to the Holy Spirit and to us not to place any greater burden (βάρος) on you than these necessary rules.[16]  James’ abbreviated version of the law followed.  It took individual believers not some corporate entity to set this error aright: For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments.  And his commandments do not weigh (βαρεῖαι, a form of βαρύς) us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.[17]

I would like to think that μὴ γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι παρ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς (literally, “not become wise from himself, herself or themselves”) meant to become wise through the Holy Spirit.  But Paul used φρόνιμοι (a form of φρόνιμος) facetiously three other times (Romans 11:25, 1 Corinthians 4:10 and 2 Corinthians 11:19 NET).  Do not be conceited may be an adequate translation.  Only Jesus used φρόνιμοι seriously (Mathew 10:16-20 NET):

I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise (φρόνιμοι , a form of φρόνιμος) as serpents and innocent as doves.  Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues.  And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.  Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time [Table].  For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Romans, Part 76

Back to Romans, Part 80

Back to Romans, Part 83

[1] Romans 12:16 (NET)

[2] Romans 12:3 (NET)

[3] Romans 15:4-6 (NET)

[4] Matthew 16:21-23 (NET)

[5] Mark 8:33 (NET)

[6] Matthew 16:24 (NET)

[7] Romans 8:5a (NET)

[8] Romans 8:5b (NET)

[9] Colossians 3:2, 3 (NET)

[10] Philippians 1:3-7 (NET)

[11] NET note 11: “Grk ‘that you will think nothing otherwise.’”

[12] Philippians 4:10 (NET)

[13] Romans 14:5, 6a (NET)

[14] Philippians 4:2 (NET)

[15] 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NET)

[16] Acts 15:28 (NET) Table

[17] 1 John 5:3, 4 (NET)