Re: Christianities

From: Jonathan Robie (jonathan@texcel.no)
Date: Fri Jul 10 1998 - 07:08:04 EDT


At 02:10 PM 7/9/98 -0700, you wrote:
>This is NOT a B-Greek question, so please reply to me off-list - some of
>you, however, are the very ones that I would most like to ask this
>question of:
>
>Is the existence of such a plethora of denominations/sects/expressions
>of Christianity/theologies, etc., today indicative of the
>fact/possibility that "the faith once for all delivered to the saints"
>(Jude 3) was not a single, well-defined faith?

There *is* a Greek question embedded in your query. In the phrase you cite,
is PISTEI to be taken as a systematic doctrine, or does it mean something
else? What does the context tell us about the meaning of PISTIS in this
passage?

L&N, which I have in Gramcord, gives these glosses for PISTIS:

pistis, ews

     a what can be believed 31.43 [L&N...2723]
     b trust 31.85 [L&N...2765]
     c trustworthiness 31.88 [L&N...2768]
     d Christian faith 31.102 [L&N...2782]
     e doctrine 31.104 [L&N...2784]
     f promise 33.289 [L&N...3138

In Jude 3, is one of these glosses intended? If so, which one? Is there any
indication that PISTIS means a systematic doctrine in James 3? It's
intriguing to think about L&N's definition of Christian faith (31.102) -
to believe in the good news about Jesus Christ and to become a follower -
`to be a believer, to be a Christian, Christian faith.'

Jonathan
___________________________________________________________________________

Jonathan Robie jwrobie@mindspring.com

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