Some times it can be tricky to hook a preposition up to the word it is modifying. In the example of 2 Thess 2:13, in the commentaries I checked they did not even discuss it. This is one of the advantages of Phrasing, but I will get to that in a second.
The verse reads, “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved (εις σωτηριαν) , through (εν) sanctification by the Spirit (αγιασμω πνευματος) and belief in the truth (πιστει αληθειας)” (ESV).
A couple general things first. The verse has a double accusative; God chose “you” as the “firstfruits.” There is a textual problem that explains the difference of the NIV when it reads “from the beginning” instead of “firstfruits.” And the single preposition εν governs both its objects, “sanctification” and “belief.”
This latter point is especially important in helping us determine the meaning of the passage. The realities described by these two objects are being closely connected and cannot be two unrelated truths. That much we know grammatically.
But what does the prepositional phrase modify? Prepositions can function adverbially. In that case, it would modify God’s “choosing.” They can also function adjectivally. In that case, it would modify “salvation.”
But it even gets a little more complicated in this passage. “Salvation” is one of those nouns that contains a verbal idea, and so the prepositional phrase is externally modifying a noun, but in terms of its meaning it could be functioning adverbially relative to the verbal idea in the noun. Ah, isn’t grammar fun!
As always, context is the guide. Proximity favors the view that sees the preposition modifying “salvation.” And it would be a strange thing to say that God’s election was in some way connected to our belief. Perhaps this is why the commentaries tend not to discuss this point.
Paul appears to be saying that God elected us for the purpose of saving us. This salvation was accomplished through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and also by our faith in the truth of God (see Morris commentary, page 238). This is not to say that we cooperate in our salvation; it is to say that even our belief is a gift from God (Eph 2:8-9).
The most interesting question for me in this verse is the nature of our salvation. As Morris argues, the order of the phrases (Spirit, then faith) may indicate that our faith (or belief) in God is only possible through the work of the Spirit. But the order may also be teaching that “the faith being spoken of is not simply one initial act. It is a continuing habit” (238). Most of us have heard the old adage that salvation is viewed as a past accomplished fact, a continuing act, and a future reality. This verse could be an example of the present working of salvation.
Finally, it is often pointed out that this verse encapsulates the work of all three members of the Trinity (interpreting “Lord” as Jesus). It is not a doctrinal expression of the Trinity, but shows the members of the godhead working in such a way that it was natural for the early church Fathers to see in it the Trinity.
A final word on prepositions. “Phrasing” is my term for what is generally called “sentence flows.” It is a way of visually laying out the text so you can see the flow of the author’s thought. I have been doing this for years; it is part of my approach to exegesis in my Graded Reader. This is an idea I am going to be developing in the future; my current thoughts can be seen at teknia.com/church-greek.
The advantage of Phrasing is that it forces you to connect every adverbial or adjectival phrase to what it modifies. It makes you slow down, read the text, and ask the right questions. I encourage you to look into it.
Comments
This is one of the best
This is one of the best articles on exegetical syntax that this student has ever read. It is fair and balanced. It does not seek to force the student to your own interpretation, but simply offers a reasonable approach to careful exegesis, while possibly hinting that you approve of the doctrine of continuing sanctification in the life of the believer.
In my youth, I attended church meetings every Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wensday night, special revival services, etc. But after becoming an adult, the Holy Spirit prompted me to study the scriptures, so as to "proove all things and hold fast that which is good." Not everything taught to me in that denomination, prooved to be true. It was a slow and sometimes painful process. I thank God for His continuing care and ongoing sanctification in this mans life.
Bill, I would disagree with
Bill, I would disagree with your conclusion about what the prepositional phrase modifies. Your own grammar recognizes that prepositional phrases most often modify verbs (sec. 8.15; cf. Daniel Wallace's grammar, pp. 356-57, who even speaks as though modification of something other than a verb is exceptional for prepositions, though still obviously possible and something that occurs). Of course, they can modify nouns. But all things being equal, they are more likely to modify the verb. So I think that puts the objective grammar more on the side of taking the prepositional phrase as modifying the verb "chose", though of course, it does not demand it. Your point about word order does not count as strongly since word order does not figure strongly in Greek for determining function. Indeed, in the Septuagint (there are no other NT examples), whenever the word salvation is followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with en as in 2 Thes 2:13, it modifies the verb (1 Sam 11:13; 2 Sam 19:3; Ps 32:7 [where notably, the tendency of the prepositional phrase to modify a verb is so strong that here it modifies an implied verb rather than the noun “salvation” that immediately precedes it; this example is also notable for the preposition "eis" preceding the word “salvation” as in 2 Thes 2:13]; Ps 73:12; Ps 117:15 [another instance of the prepositional phrase modifying an implied verb!]; 1 Macc 3:6) except for 2 Kings 13:17 in which the prepositional phrase modifies a noun other than "salvation" and there is no verb at all for it to modify. Your point that the preposition might semantically modify the verbal idea in "salvation" does increase the likelihood that it might modify "salvation" here, but not enough to make it as likely or more likely than it simply modifying the actual verb as it normally would. The actual usage of "salvation" + "en" in biblical literature does not bear out the idea of modification of the verbal idea in "salvation", but rather the greater likelihood of it modifying the actual verb in the context.
As for your assertion that "it would be a strange thing to say that God’s election was in some way connected to our belief", that appears to be theological presupposition carrying no weight. It just so happens that a major evangelical theological system (not to mention the consensual Christian tradition! See Thomas Oden, The Transforming Power of Grace) explicitly believes that God's election is conditional on faith in Christ-- Arminianism. So it doesn't seem strange to me at all, but it seems like the most natural reading of 2 Thes 2:13 supports the Arminian position that election is conditional on faith in Christ.
In reference to your next to
In reference to your next to last statement: What early theologians -- in "the consensual tradition" -- does your source (Thomas Oden) cite who "explicitly believe" that faith is the pre-condition of predestination? In reference to your last statement: It seems very strange to assert that the predestined condition (faith) is also its own pre-condition. Bobby Garringer
Rather than go and look up
Rather than go and look up references in Oden, I would (1) encourasge you to get the book and look at it yourself, and (2) offer you some more convenient, internet resources. It is fairly well known that the church fathers prior to Augustine generally held to conditional election rather than unconditional. See e.g., http://evangelicalarminians.org/Church-history-and-calvinism.henshaw (cf. http://evangelicalarminians.org/godismyjudge.prereformation-history-and-...). Even many Calvinists admit this (see e.g., Loraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, p. 365). Indeed, one of unconditional election's corollaries, perseverance of the saints/unconditional eternal security, was basically absent from church history for the first 1500 yars of church history, until Calvin (see e.g., http://evangelicalarminians.org/Perseverance-Wtizki-The-Inadequate-Histo...). As for your comment, "It seems very strange to assert that the predestined condition (faith) is also its own pre-condition", honestly, it is hard to make sense of. I made no claim that faith is its own precondition. Faith is the condition for salvation in the opinion of many Christians throughout church history, including many Protestants, and including many evangelicals. To take the preposition in 2 Thes 2:13 as modifying the noun "salvation" rather than the verb "chose" because of the assumption of unconditional election is to read theology into the text and its grammar rather than allowing more obejctive grammar to guide our understanding of the text.
Woops, one more correction. I
Woops, one more correction. I said: "Faith is the condition for salvation in the opinion of many Christians throughout church history, including many Protestants, and including many evangelicals." This is true, but is understated. Even Calvinists would generally agree that faith is the condition for salvation. Pretty much all evangelicals believe that. What I meant to say was, "Faith is the condition for election in the opinion of many Christians throughout church history, including many Protestants, and including many evangelicals."
Actually, some Reformed
Actually, some Reformed people believe that justification is the silent work of God who justifies and afterwards gives faith. I don't agree, but this is a standfard position.
But that contradicts
But that contradicts justification by faith. As Calvinist Fred Zaspel says, "exactly when this justification is applied to the elect is a question on which Reformed theologians have not always agreed. Traditionally and almost universally, Reformed theology has affirmed that sinners are justified / pronounced righteous before God upon faith in Christ. This is the well-known Reformation dogma, justification by faith alone (sola fide)." Are you talking about the position known as eternal justification? If so, it may be a standard position in the sense of established as a position held by some, but as Zaspel's comment indicates, it is an extremely minority view, so that it would still be correct to say in a general way that Calvinists agree that salvation and justification are by faith. Or are you talking about something else? Is justification by faith not at the very heart of the Reformed tradition, and the Calvinist tradition (since Reformed and Calvinist can be differentiated, though they are often used interchangeably)?
I wanted to register a note
I wanted to register a note of correction to my post. My citation of Ps 32:17 LXX was an error. That example does not apply because the prepositional phrase goes with the following clause, not with the one "salvation" is in, even though the prepositional phrase follows the word "salvation" immediately in the Greek text. This does not undermine my poiint, but I wanted to correct the error.
In general, you are saying
In general, you are saying that we have succeeding prepostional phrases, with the second, "through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth," modifying the first, "for salvation," rather than the verb, "chosen."
Is it possible and worth pursuing to suggest that - in the statement, "be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins" - the second phrase, "for the forgiveness of your sins," may modify the first phrase, "in the name of Jesus the Messiah," rather than the verb, "be baptized?"
Bobby Garringer
[Please respond to my email address: christofthenations1@gmail.com.]
Dr. Mounce: I sent the
Dr. Mounce:
I sent the following note to Dr. Craig Blomberg of Denver Seminary, because in a discussion of Acts 2:38, he asked if I had any information of a second prepositional phrase that modifies an intermediate phrase, positioned after a main verb - rather than modifying the main verb.
I send the note to you, since it clarifies my earlier comment and question.
(I have no idea how Dr. Blomberg will respond.)
_____________________________
Dr. Blomberg:
Bill Mounce comments on an example of a verb (chosen), followed by an eis-prepositional phrase that modifies it that is followed by a dia-prepositional phrase that modifies the first phrase - rather than the verb, in 2 Thessalonians 2:13.
See his comments at: http://www.billmounce.com/blog/05-03-2010/what-do-prepositions-modify-2-....
He emphasizes a "verbal quality" in the object of the first preposition (which is "salvation"), allowing for an adverbial significance in the second phrase. But this could be paralleled by a verbal quality in epi (upon) in Acts 2:38 - if the scholars are right who believe epi indicates an actual naming of Jesus at the time of baptism.
Those who take the epi-phrase in Acts 2:38 to mean the invoking of Jesus' name at baptism include: BAGD, The Anchor Bible translators, David K. Bernard, F. F. Bruce, and Daniel B. Wallace.
[References: BAGD, pp. 288, 573; The Anchor Bible translation of Acts 2:38; David K. Bernard, In the Name of Jesus (Word Aflame Press, 1992), p. 79; F. F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments, rev. ed. (Revell, 1984) p. 57; Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament, (Zondervan, 1997) in extended comments on "Causal Ei" quoted at http://bible.org/question/does-greek-construction-acts-238-show-baptism-.... Under Wallace's entry 1 (3), he translates the relevant portion of Acts 2:38: “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized AT the name of Jesus Christ…” (Emphasis added.)]
Bobby Garringer
The word faith in Greek means
The word faith in Greek means an intense conviction that something is true. For God to "implant" faith in us would be to negate the need for faith. If faith is supernaturally enforced, then its meaning is false, and it's existence is null. Why implant faith when you could simply save someone and be done with it? Calvinism is a lot of double talk and illogical rhetoric, and it has very little if any grounds in the Bible. Our faith is there, so that the lost can see it in us, and be convicted and challenged to change.
I think you are wrong for
I think you are wrong for several reasons.One is that you set a false dichotomy between implant and enforce. The point is htat in and of ourselves we are not able to respond in faith, and so Christ enables us to do so. Secondly, it is probably not wise to emotionally characterize a position different from what we hold as "double talk" and "illogical rhetoric." Calvinism is, if anything, logical, but that does not make it right. But it is internally consistent.
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