Soteriological Concerns with Bauer's Greek Lexicon

[siliconwafer]

Michael Makidon wrote an article concerning his soteriological concerns with the third edition of Bauer's Greek Lexicon. Here is the article: http://www.faithalone.org/journal/2004ii/makidon.pdf

What do you think of his concerns?

[John Reece]

Joseph Henry Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament is so old it is considered obsolete; I cite it simply to show that the implication of commitment within the semantic range of πιστεύω is not a novel bias-based invention perpetrated by Danker. From Thayer's Lexicon:

πιστεύω; pisteuō; imperfect episteuon; future pisteusō; 1 aorist episteusa; perfect pepisteuka; pluperfect (without augment, cf. Winer’s Grammar, sec. 12, 9; (Buttmann, 33 (29))) pepisteukein (Acts 14:23); passive perfect pepisteumai; 1 aorist episteuthēn; (pistos); the Septuagint for heʾĕmı̂n; in classical Greek from Aeschyl, Sophocles, Euripides, Thucydides down; to believe, i.e.

1. intransitive, to think to be true; to be persuaded of; to credit, place confidence in; a. universally: the thing believed being evident from the preceding context, Matt. 24:23,(26); Mark 13:21; 1 Cor. 11:18; with an accusative of the thing, Acts 13:41 (L T Tr WH ho for Rec. hō), to credit, have confidence, followed by hoti, Acts 9:26; tini, to believe one’s words, Mark 16:13f; 1 John 4:1; tini hoti, John 4:21; tō pseudei, 2 Thess. 2:11; peri tinos, hoti, John 9:18. b. specifically, in a moral and religious reference, pisteuein is used in the N.T. of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of his soul; thus it stands α. absolutely to trust in Jesus or in God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: Matt. 8:13; 21:22; Mark 5:36; 9:23f; Luke 8:50; John 11:40; followed by hoti, Matt. 9:28; Mark 11:23; (Heb. 11:6); tō logō, hō (hon) eipen ho Iēsous, John 4:50. β. of the credence given to God’s messengers and their words, with a dative of the person or thing: Mōusei John 5:46. to the prophets, John 12:38; Acts 24:14; 26:27; Rom. 10:16; epi pasin hois elalēsan hoi profētai, to place reliance on etc. Luke 24:25. to an angel, Luke 1:20; followed by hoti, Luke 1:45. to John the Baptist, Matt. 21:25 (26),32; Mark 11:31; Luke 20:5. to Christ’s words, John 3:12; 5:38,46f; 6:30; 8:45f; 10:(37),38a; tois ergois of Christ, John 10:38b. to the teachings of evangelists and apostles, Acts 8:12; tē alētheia, 2 Thess. 2:12; episteuthē to marturion, the testimony was believed, 2 Thess. 1:10 (cf. Winer’s Grammar, sec. 39,1 a.; Buttmann, 175 (152)); tē grafē, John 2:22. en tō euangeliō, to put faith in the gospel, Mark 1:15 (Buttmann, 174 (151f); cf. Winer’s Grammar, 213 (200f)) (Ignatius ad Philad. 8, 2 ((but see Zahn’s note); cf. John 3:15 in γ. below)). γ. used especially of the faith by which a man embraces Jesus, i.e. a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah — the divinely appointed author of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ: pisteuō ton huion tou Theou einai Iēsoun Christon, Acts 8:37 Rec.; episteuthē (was believed on (cf. Winer’s Grammar, sec. 39, 1 a.; Buttmann, 175 (152))) en kosmō, 1 Tim. 3:16. the phrase pisteuein eis ton Iēsoun, eis ton huion tou Theou, etc., is very common; properly, to have a faith directed unto, believing or in faith to give oneself up to, Jesus, etc. (cf. Winer’s Grammar, 213 (200f); (Buttmann, 174 (151))): Matt. 18:6; Mark 9:42 (R G L Tr text); John 2:11; 3:15 R G,16,18,36; 6:29,35,40,47 (R G L); 7:5,(38),39,48; 8:30; 9:35f; 10:42; 11:25f,45,48; 12:11,37,42,44,(46); 14:1,12; 16:9; 17:20; Acts 10:43; 19:4; Rom. 10:14; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 1:29; 1 John 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:8; eis to fōs, John 12:36; eis to onoma autou, John 1:12; 2:23; 3:18; 1 John 5:13; tō onomati autou, to commit oneself trustfully to the name (see onoma, 2, p. 448a), 1 John 3:23; epʾ auton, epi ton kurion, to have a faith directed toward, etc. (see epi, C. I. 2 g. α., p. 235b (cf. Winer’s Grammar, and Buttmann, as above, also Buttmann, sec. 147, 25)): Matt. 27:42 T Tr text WH; John 3:15 L text; Acts 9:42; 11:17; 16:31; 22:19 ((cf. WisSol 12:2)); epʾ autō, to build one’s faith on, to place one’s faith upon (see epi, B. 2 a.γ., p. 233a; Buttmann, as above): Rom. 9:33; 10:11; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Pet. 2:6; en autō, to put faith in him, John 3:15 (L marginal reading; cf. T Tr WH also (who probably connect en autō with the following echē; cf. Westcott’s Commentary at the passage, Meyer, others)) (cf. Jer. 12:6; Ps. 77:22 (Ps. 78:22), where pisteuein en tini means to put confidence in one, to trust one; (cf. Mark 1:15 above, β. at the end)); en toutō pisteuomen, on this rests our faith (A.V. by this we believe), John 16:30; with the simple dative, tō kuriō, to (yield faith to) believe (cf. B. 173 (151)): Matt. 27:42 R G L Tr marginal reading; Acts 5:14; 18:8; supply toutō before hou in Rom. 10:14; to trust in Christ (God), 2 Tim. 1:12; dia tinos, through one’s agency to be brought to faith, John 1:7; 1 Cor. 3:5; dia Iēsou eis Theon, 1 Pet. 1:21 R G Tr marginal reading; dia tēs charitos, Acts 18:27; dia tou logou autōn eis eme, John 17:20; dia ti, John 4:39 (41), 42; 14:11. pisteuō followed by hoti with a sentence in which either the nature and dignity of Christ or his blessings are set forth: John 6:69; 8:24; 10:38c R G; 11:27,(42); 13:19; (14:10); 16:27,30; 17:8,21; 1 John 5:1,5; Rom. 6:8; 1 Thess. 4:14; moi hoti, John 14:11; ti, John 11:26; pisteuō sōthēnai, Acts 15:11; the simple pisteuein is used emphatically, of those who acknowledge Jesus as the saviour and devote themselves to him: Mark 15:32 (here L adds autō); Luke 8:12f; 22:67; John 1:50(51); 3:18; 4:42,48,53; 5:44; 6:36,64; 9:38; 10:25f; 12:39,47 Rec.; 16:30; 20:31; Acts 5:14; (13:39); 15:5; 18:8; (21:25); Rom. 1:16; 3:22; 4:11; 10:4; 15:13; 2 Cor. 4:13; Eph. 1:13,(19); 2 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 4:3; with ex holēs kardias added, Acts 8:37 Rec.; with a dative of instrumentality kardia, Rom. 10:10; participle present hoi pisteuontes, as a substantive: Acts 2:44; Rom. 3:22; 1 Cor. 1:21; Gal. 3:22; (Eph. 1:19); 1 Thess. 1:7; 2:10,13; 2 Thess. 1:10 Rec.; 1 Pet. 2:7; equivalent to who are on the point of believing, 1 Cor. 14:22, cf. 1 Cor. 14:24f; aorist episteusa (marking entrance into a state; see basileuō, at the end), I became a believer, a Christian (A.V. believed): Acts 4:4; 8:13; 13:12,48; 14:1; 15:7; 17:12,34; Rom. 13:11; 1 Cor. 3:5; 15:2,11; with the addition of epi ton kurion (see above), Acts 9:42; participle pisteusas, Acts 11:21; 19:2; ho pisteusas, Mark 16:16; plural, 16:17; Acts 4:32; hoi pepisteukotes, they that have believed (have become believers): Acts 19:18; 21:20; (on (John’s use of) the tenses of pisteuō see Westcott on 1 John 3:23). It must be borne in mind, that in Paul’s conception of to pisteuein eis Christon, the prominent element is the grace of God toward sinners as manifested and pledged (and to be laid hold of by faith) in Jesus, particularly in his death and resurrection, as appears especially in Rom. 3:25; 4:24; 10:9; 1 Thess. 4:14; but in John’s conception, it is the metaphysical relationship of Christ with God and close ethical intimacy with him, as well as the true ‘life’ to be derived from Christ as its source; cf. Rückert, Das Abendmahl, p. 251. Moreover, pisteuein is used by John of various degrees of faith, from its first beginnings, its incipient stirring within the soul, up to the fullest assurance, John 2:23 (cf. John 2:24); 8:31; of a faith which does not yet recognize Jesus as the Messiah, but as a prophet very like the Messiah, John 7:31; and to signify that one’s faith is preserved, strengthened, increased, raised to the level which it ought to reach, 11:15; 13:19; 14:29; 19:35; 20:31; 1 John 5:13b Rec.; (cf. references under the word pistis, at the end). is applied also to the faith by which one is persuaded that Jesus was raised from the dead, inasmuch as by that fact God declared him to be his Son and the Messiah: John 20:8,25,29; pisteusēs en tē kardia sou hoti ho Theos auton ēgeiren ek nekrōn sōthēsē, Rom. 10:9 (cf. Buttmann, sec. 133, 19). Since according to the conception of Christian faith Christ alone is the author of salvation, ho pisteuōn repudiates all the various things which aside from Christ are commended as means of salvation (such e.g. as abstinence from flesh and wine), and understands that all things are lawful to him which do not lead him away from Christ; hence, pisteuei (tis) fagein panta, hath faith to eat all things or so that he eats all things, Rom. 14:2; cf. Rückert at the passage; (Winer’s Grammar, sec. 44,3 b.; per contra Buttmann, 273f (235)). δ. pisteuein used in reference to God has various senses: αα. it denotes the mere acknowledgment of his existence: hoti ho Theos heis estin, James 2:19; acknowledgment joined to appropriate trust, absolutely, Jude 1:5; eis Theon, John 12:44; 14:1; equivalent to to believe and embrace what God has made known either through Christ or concerning Christ: tō Theō, John 5:24; Acts 16:34; Titus 3:8; 1 John 5:10; epi ton Theon, Rom. 4:5; tēn agapēn, hēn echei ho Theos, 1 John 4:16; eis tēn marturian, hēn k.t.l., 1 John 5:10. ββ. to trust: tō Theō, God promising a thing, Rom. 4:3,17 (on which see katenanti); Gal. 3:6; (James 2:23); absolutely, Rom. 4:18; followed by hoti, Acts 27:25. ε. pisteuein is used in an ethical sense, of confidence in the goodness of men: hē agapē pisteuei panta, 1 Cor. 13:7. to pisteuein is opposed to idein, John 20:29; to horan, ibid. and 1 Pet. 1:8 (Theoph. ad Autol. 1, 7 at the end), cf. 2 Cor. 5:7; to diakrinesthai, Rom. 4:19f; 14:1,23, cf. James 1:6; to homologein, Rom. 10:9.

[themuzicman]

Michael Makidon wrote an article concerning his soteriological concerns with the third edition of Bauer's Greek Lexicon. Here is the article: http://www.faithalone.org/journal/2004ii/makidon.pdf

What do you think of his concerns?

Believe:
Well, it seems to shut Calvinists out, as the believing is now actually being done by the believer who commits, rather than one who simply becomes a believer. I'm not sure whether this is the nature of his concern, but that seems to be part of it.

His example from Acts 2 seems to be more of a translational issue to ward against seeing commitment being to each other. Certainly that is attainable without changing BDAG.


righteous:
This seems to be a part of the old Catholic/Reformed debate on imputed/infused righteousness. The old entry only cites Chrysostom, whereas the latter addresses righteousness by works vs. faith, but then says that there might be no distinction between justification and God's work in "promoting uprightness in believers." I can see where that would ruffle some feathers.

Disobedient:
Not sure this is a huge issue. Hearing a reasoned argument for the gospel of Christ and "disobeying" seems pretty clear to me.

[BookerG]

Attempting to be brief,
The author admits “commitment” can have two different meanings. Jesus said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Making a full commitment to God may mean my life, my soul, my salvation are all fully in God’s hands.
The author says that most Christians mean that they are committing themselves to a life of obedience, but I don’t see a lot of evidence that that’s what Danker means.
I don’t have BDAG, so I can’t judge for myself, but I’d like to see clearer evidence that Danker thinks commitment means determined to obey rather then entrusted to God before I’ll condemn him.

Regarding dikaiow, once again it’s hard to judge without reading the full article. My understanding is that the word can mean to declare righteous (and that is the meaning in soteriological passages), or else it can mean to show or demonstrate rightness (which always involves allowing people to see the rightness of your actions or of your heart; it’s a justification before men, not before God).
James used it in that second sense when he says Abraham demonstrated his justification by his good works, by something that people could see. You can’t be justified before men by something that exists unseen in your heart.
The Gospels use it in that sense when a young man wanted to justify himself by asking “who is my neighbor.” He wanted people to see that he was right.
And it is used of God when he demonstrated his own justification. Rom 3:25. He needed no one to declare him just, but he justified himself when he showed the world that he was both just and the one who justifies (declares righteous) those who have faith, when he demonstrated by the cross that he had not just been overlooking sin throughout the Old Testament.
I’m not comfortable with everything Danker says, but I notice that the prime piece of evidence against him, the first long paragraph, is in response to the way James uses the word.


As for apeithew, it seems like Danker is just bowing to the fact that he couldn’t find support outside of the Scriptural usage that confirms the meaning “to disbelieve.” I don’t see that as evidence that he is work-righteous. I see it as evidence that when the Scriptures say that someone did not believe, that it is serious, it is sin. It’s not just sitting on the fence, undecided, it’s not just due to a lack of enough evidence to convince someone. It is disobedience. It is calling God a liar. It is unbelief from the perspective of defiant rejection of God’s word.

And the word faith, pistis, is tied to the adjective pistos, faithful, a word used to describe God as faithful. So I can’t fault a dictionary for mentioning both faith and faithfulness when giving a definition.

[siliconwafer]

Attempting to be brief,
The author admits “commitment” can have two different meanings. Jesus said, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” Making a full commitment to God may mean my life, my soul, my salvation are all fully in God’s hands.
The author says that most Christians mean that they are committing themselves to a life of obedience, but I don’t see a lot of evidence that that’s what Danker means.
I don’t have BDAG, so I can’t judge for myself, but I’d like to see clearer evidence that Danker thinks commitment means determined to obey rather then entrusted to God before I’ll condemn him.

Regarding dikaiow, once again it’s hard to judge without reading the full article. My understanding is that the word can mean to declare righteous (and that is the meaning in soteriological passages), or else it can mean to show or demonstrate rightness (which always involves allowing people to see the rightness of your actions or of your heart; it’s a justification before men, not before God).
James used it in that second sense when he says Abraham demonstrated his justification by his good works, by something that people could see. You can’t be justified before men by something that exists unseen in your heart.
The Gospels use it in that sense when a young man wanted to justify himself by asking “who is my neighbor.” He wanted people to see that he was right.
And it is used of God when he demonstrated his own justification. Rom 3:25. He needed no one to declare him just, but he justified himself when he showed the world that he was both just and the one who justifies (declares righteous) those who have faith, when he demonstrated by the cross that he had not just been overlooking sin throughout the Old Testament.
I’m not comfortable with everything Danker says, but I notice that the prime piece of evidence against him, the first long paragraph, is in response to the way James uses the word.


As for apeithew, it seems like Danker is just bowing to the fact that he couldn’t find support outside of the Scriptural usage that confirms the meaning “to disbelieve.” I don’t see that as evidence that he is work-righteous. I see it as evidence that when the Scriptures say that someone did not believe, that it is serious, it is sin. It’s not just sitting on the fence, undecided, it’s not just due to a lack of enough evidence to convince someone. It is disobedience. It is calling God a liar. It is unbelief from the perspective of defiant rejection of God’s word.

And the word faith, pistis, is tied to the adjective pistos, faithful, a word used to describe God as faithful. So I can’t fault a dictionary for mentioning both faith and faithfulness when giving a definition.

I agree. There is not evidence that Danker means "determined to obey" when he uses the word "commitment" regarding the word "faith."