#1 - The verbs <imperatives> address two groups
- METANOHSATE is second person, plural.
- hUMWN <TWN hAMARTIWN hUMWN> is second person, plural.
- BAPTISQHTW is third person, singular.
Some have suggested that the first command is addressed to Peter's entire
audience; the second to those who obey the first command. I recall a mentor
and friend paraphrasing it thus: "Y'all repent and y'all's sins will be
forgiven and y'all 'l receive the gift of the Spirit; and let him who
repents be baptized in the name of Jesus."
#2 - Be sure to avoid logical fallacy
Repentance + Baptism = Forgiveness is TRUE
Repentance + Elks Membership = Forgiveness is TRUE
Repentance + BMW ownership = Forgiveness is TRUE
Repentance - BMW ownership = Forgiveness is TRUE
Repentance - Elks Membership = Forgiveness is TRUE
Repentance - Baptism = Forgiveness is TRUE
Repentance alone = Forgiveness is TRUE
Biblical case in point: Mark 16:16.
-----Original Message-----
From: F. Holly Mitchell <mitchell@dobson.ozarks.edu>
To: Revcraigh@aol.com <Revcraigh@aol.com>
Cc: B-Greek@virginia.edu <B-Greek@virginia.edu>
Date: Wednesday, October 08, 1997 7:53 AM
Subject: Re: Acts 2:38
>
>> >I am looking for comments on the Greek construction of Acts 2:38.
>> >Specifically the relation between 'repent' and 'be baptised'. Are they
two
>> >equal commands?
>>
>> The greek is:
>> METANOHSATE, [FHSIN,] KAI BAPTISQHTW hEKASTOS hUMWN EPI TWi ONOMATI IHSOU
>> XRISTOU EIS AFESIN TWN hAMARTIWN hUMWN
>>
>> I'm not sure just what you are getting at by "equal commands" but
METANOHSATE
>> and BAPTISQHTW are both aorist imparatives conjoined by KAI and so would
seem
>> to be equal to me.
>>
>> >Also the 'for the remission of sins'. Does this mean that
>> >the baptism remitted the sins?
>> >
>>
>> In my opinion, EIS AFESIN TWN hAMARTIWN hUMWN is to be taken with
>> METANOHSATE...KAI BAPTISQHTW...EPI TWi ONOMATI IHSOU XRISTOU (which last
>> phrase, from BAPTISQHTW to XRISTOU, I translate together as a unit thus:
"be
>> baptized in the name of Jesus Christ). In other words, these two things
>> being done (i.e., I repent and am baptized in the name of Jesus Christ),
the
>> result (indicated by EIS...hUMWN) is that my sins are forgiven.
>
>My text includes a footnoted reference to Acts 3:19,
>METANOHSATE OUN KAI EPISTREYATE EIS TO EZALEIFQHVAI hUMWN TAS hAMARTIAS,
>
>Here, it really seems as if the crucial act is turning again to God.
>But now I've got more questions than I started with. (aaargh!!!)
>
>Is there a subtle distinction between the meanings of METANOEW and
>EPISTREFW that I'm not getting or are the two verbs parallel?
>
>Also I'm betting that whether the result is AFESIN TWN hAMARTIWN hMWN or
>EZALEIFQHNAI hUMWN TAS hAMARIAS, it *still* means that my sins are removed
>as far as East is from West.
>
>What do you learned doctors think?
>
>God Bless,
>Ginger (assistant to Holly)
>
>
>