List,
I need a little more help. I know that what I am asking is rather humdrum compared to all of the linguistic theory around lately but I would appreciate some help.
In the above mentioned passage there are a number of curious things to sort out from a hermeneutical perspective. While the list is not devoted to that aspect of study, I need to be able to grasp the language in order to make an informed interpretation.
Paul uses a number of prepositions in a somewhat ordinary way, but I would like to get at exactly what is being expressed by them. For instance, the passage in question begins with KATA THN CHARIN.... I would like to understand the force of KATA here. According..., does it mean by the measure, or in proportion to the measure of grace given me? There is a difference I think. One could view this as Paul saying that God's grace has made him or, to use a Christian phrase, ordained him to be a master builder. Or one could view it as saying that the grace of God operates in him to act as a master builder. In other words does the phrase mean that Paul is operating under "master builder" grace, or that he is appointed as the church's master's builder? What is the force of the prep. phrase? And does that change our understanding of HWS SOFWS ARCHITEKTWN?
The how about the HOUTWS HW DIA PUROS? What is the force of the DIA here? Instinctively I look at this as fig. language, but DIA can express agent and instrumentality at times. Surely this cannot mean that the one whose work is burned up is saved by the fire!? However, I am not entirely satisfied with the idea of "through" as in "passing through." Any thoughts?
And one more question. I could not get and accurate fix on HOITINES. The clause that it is in is interpreted as "and that is what you are." Is this accurate or could this be and that is whose you are referring to belonging to god rather than the figure of the temple? I asked this before but received no answer to satisfy me!
Now just an opinion here! This is not a question in the same sense as above. The SWQHSETAI in my opinion probably does mean evangelical salvation in the accepted sense here, even though many interpret it that way. SWZW can be applied to a rescue or a deliverance, which I am ssuming it is many times in the LXX, to which I have no access. I think here Paul is saying something like, "although he will suffer great loss because his works will be burned up, he will not suffer total loss, but it will be a narrow escape!" "He will come through with little more than his own safety in tact!" How about a (gentle!) critique.
This passage while straight forward in mechanics is an interpretive nightmare!
Paul F. Evans
Pastor
Thunder Swamp Pentecostal Holiness Church
MT. Olive
E-mail: evans@esn.net
Web-page: http://ww2.esn.net/~evans