In
the last
post, I began looking at the translation of Galatians 2:16. Specifically looking at whether it should read the faith of Jesus Christ or faith in Jesus Christ. In the Greek it
is pisteows (genitive case of faith) ihsou (genitive case of Jesus) christou (genitive case of Christ). If
we were to literally translate it into English, it would be Jesus Christ’s
faith or the faith of Jesus Christ. Paul used the same phrase in 3:22, and Rom 3:22,
26. Still, except for the King James Version, Young’s Literal Translation, and
the new NET Bible it is translated faith *in* Christ and not the faith *of*
Christ. This is not the only place that the genitive case has been ignored by
translators… sometimes… even the King James Translators. Another glaring example
that I have blogged about in the past is the obedience
of faith in Romans 1:5.
So
then, what is the reason behind these mis-translations. I call them
mis-translations because you can find translations that have rendered them one
way or the other. Bill
Mounce in his blog
article states that sometimes we have to just use the translated word that
makes the most sense, or fits the text the best. I suppose that he could be
right however, I think it is a bit more sinister than that. I think that the words are chosen to fit a
certain theological understanding.
In
the case of Galatians 2:16 the *theological understanding* aspect becomes very
important indeed as shown in yesterday’s
post. This makes me wonder about translations in general. If we have two
glaring cases… one of the *faith OF Christ*… and the other of the *obedience OF
faith* … it is fair to ask the question from the Matrix Movie… how deep does
the rabbit hole go?
The
fact is that correct genitive translation fits well with the idea that Jesus
taught an entirely new, solely redemptive, hermeneutic; one where he was the
savior of humanity by the will of God and his faithfulness. In fact, the correct genitive translation points
to the idea that much of orthodox/evangelical dogma is off the mark and has
been over the two thousand years of Christian history.
This
brings me to the conclusion that all translations have flaws. This includes the
sometimes deified King James Version. For this reason I find the relatively new
NET free bible at www.bible.org to be quite
informative. They give accompanying notes that explain the reasoning in their translation
choices.
Look
at Galatians 2:16 from the NET bible. “yet
we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness
of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we
may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of
the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”
Christ’s
perfect faith is summed up in his total faithfulness. You are not justified by
your faithfulness but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Let me share the
note that goes along with this verse.
52 tn Or "faith
in Jesus Christ." A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally
translated "faith in Jesus Christ," an increasing number of NT
scholars are arguing that πίστις
Χριστοῦ (pisti Christou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Gal_2:20; Rom_3:22;
Rom_3:26; Gal_3:22;
Eph_3:12; Phi_3:9)
involve a subjective genitive and mean "Christ's faith" or
"Christ's faithfulness" (cf., e.g., G. Howard, "The 'Faith of
Christ'," ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of
Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, "Πίστις Χριστοῦ," NTS 35
[1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive
view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an
objective genitive (cf. Mat_9:2; Mat_9:22; Mat_9:29;
Mar_2:5; Mar_5:34;
Mar_10:52; Luk_5:20;
Luk_7:50; Luk_8:25;
Luk_8:48; Luk_17:19;
Luk_18:42; Luk_22:32;
Rom_1:8; Rom_1:12;
Rom_3:3; Rom_4:5;
Rom_4:12; Rom_4:16;
1Co_2:5; 1Co_15:14;
1Co_15:17; 2Co_10:15;
Phi_2:17; Col_1:4;
Col_2:5; 1Th_1:8;
1Th_3:2; 1Th_3:5;
1Th_3:10; 2Th_1:3;
Tit_1:1; Phm_1:6;
1Pe_1:9; 1Pe_1:21;
2Pe_1:5). On the other hand, the objective
genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, "The Pistis Christou
Formulations in Paul," NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn,
"Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ," SBL Seminar
Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians
usually side with the objective view.
I
added the notes in their entirety. They are pretty neutral. I of course am not
neutral.
Yes, agreed. It goes along with the view we have of a God who needs our faith, our effort, our works to seal "the deal." This rendering makes it clear that Jesus was faithful and true and has fulfilled all the requirements of the Law and the new covenant. Our response is belief!
ReplyDeleteAre we saveId because we have faith IN Jesus Christ? ( and thus the emphasis is on our believing today and is subjective) or are we saved because of the faithfulness OF Jesus Christ when He fulfilled His mission of redemption and said "it is fully completed!"?
ReplyDeleteIn the first case, we are the center of focus, in the second case Jesus on Calvary is the center of focus.
In the frist case, our message is "Believe, and you will be saved"
In the second case our message is "You have been saved by Jesus life, death and resurrection, therefor believe!"
The first (faith In Jesus Christ) is a CONDITIONAL gospel, the second(faith OF Jesus Christ) is a declarative gospel
Yes most definitely, it is the faith OF Jesus that saves! We apprehend it by our faith, but even that is a measure of faith given to us without which we could not apprehend the faith of Christ.
Delete