Exploration, Part 16

I want to continue hearing with faith1 the truth of the Gospel in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Another essay concluded with (Ephesians 2:11-13 EXP15):

Therefore remember that at one time you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh, those called foreskin by those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand) since you were by means of that time apart from Christ, had become an outsider of citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and godless by means of the world [Table]. But now by means of Christ Jesus you, who at any time are far off, have come into existence near at hand by means of Christ’s bloodshed.

Paul continued (Ephesians 2:14-16 ESV):

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself2 one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

The Greek is: Αὐτὸς γάρ, For himself (literally, “For He”), ἐστιν, he is, εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, our peace. The 3rd person singular verb ἐστιν translates he is as the personal pronoun αὐτός (ESV: himself) adds emphasis. I chose He to remind me that αὐτός is in the nominative case: “For He, He is our peace.”

In one sense, this is a simple practical statement, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (εἰρήνη). It is also profound. Jesus said, (Matthew 10:34-36 ESV):

Do not think that I have come to bring peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) to the earth. I have not come to bring peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη), but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies (ἐχθροὶ, a form of ἐχθρός) will be those of his own household [Table].3

This seems like an odd thing for the Prince of Peace to say.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (Tanakh/KJV)

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (NET)

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (NETS)

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (English Elpenor)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (שָׁלֽוֹם). For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (šālôm, שלום). because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulder, and he is named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him. For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder, and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel, < Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Potentate, Prince of Peace (εἰρήνης), Father of the Age to come >: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.
Of the increase of his government and peace (וּלְשָׁל֣וֹם) there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity (šālôm, ולשלום). He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this. His sovereignty is great, and his peace (τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ) has no boundary upon the throne of Dauid and his kingdom, to make it prosper and to uphold it with righteousness and with judgment from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord Sabbaoth will do these things. His government shall be great, and of his peace (τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ) there is no end: [it shall be] upon the throne of David, and [upon] his kingdom, to establish it, and to support [it] with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

A comparison of the English translations of identical Hebrew word strings found in Isaiah 9:6, 7 (9:5, 6) from the ESV and The Complete Jewish Bible follows:

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (ESV)

Isaiah 9:5, 6 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. For a child has been born to us, a son given to us, and the authority is upon his shoulder, and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, “the prince of peace.” To him who increases the authority, and for peace without end, on David’s throne and on his kingdom, to establish it and to support it with justice and with righteousness; from now and to eternity, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall accomplish this.

The Prince of Peace comes to bring peace without end. The difficulty seems to arise from translating two occurrences of βαλεῖν in Matthew 10:34 to bring. It is a form of βάλλω: “to throw, cast, thrust; to put, place, lay, set up (a mound); to pour; to rush (intrans.); to send forth (roots).” The same word was translated throw it in Jesus’ second response to a Canaanite woman’s request for healing of her demon-possessed daughter (Matthew 15:21-28 ESV).

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us” [Table]. He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me” [Table]. And he answered, “It is not right (καλὸν, a form of καλός; e.g., beautiful) to take the children’s bread and throw it (βαλεῖν, a form of βάλλω) to the dogs.”4 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire (θέλεις, a form of θέλω).” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Behold, the hour is coming, Jesus clarified the relationship of his peace and faith for his disciples, indeed it5 has come, when you will be scattered (σκορπισθῆτε, a form of σκορπίζω), each to his own home, and will leave me6 alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me (ἐν ἐμοὶ; or, “by means of me”) you may have peace (εἰρήνην ἔχητε).7 In the world (ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, or “by means of the world”)8 you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.9 In other words, believing Jesus’ words about them—you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alonerather than arguing that they were better—more faithful—than that, Jesus’ disciples could have shared his peace as they scattered, rather than being confronted with the proof of their lying hearts.

But perhaps they learned something from that experience, as Paul did from his (Romans 7:15, 18b, 19 ESV):

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want (θέλω), but I do the very thing I hate…I have the desire (θέλειν, another form of θέλω) to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want (θέλω), but the evil I do not want (θέλω) is what I keep on doing [Table].

In all fairness, Jesus’ peace was directly related to fervently expressing his desire, not to be tortured to death, to his Father in prayer. Yet still He prayed, not my will (τὸ θέλημα μου), but yours, be done.10 His disciples had the same opportunity to express their desires, to be bold faithful followers of the Lord Jesus, and their own willingness to submit their wills to God’s will, but they slept instead. My purpose here is to understand how He is our peace in a world of tribulation, not to criticize Jesus’ disciples. I’m nearly seventy-two-years-old and am only occasionally as present in the moment as I am suggesting they might have been, despite having the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and the whole Bible at my disposal.

And his disciples did fulfill the prophetic word of Jesus (and the prophet) after Jesus said (Matthew 26:53-56a ESV):

“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? [Table] But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me [Table]. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples left him and fled.11 As much as I might wish that Jesus’ words brought them to their senses, that they hurried away to fulfill the prophets’ words, I’m skeptical and suspect that their divided hearts feared those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, more than him (e.g., Jesus) who can destroy both soul and body in hell (γεέννῃ, or “by means of hell”).12

Again, my point is not to criticize Jesus’ disciples but to use the Gospel narratives to contrast who they were before his crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and their receiving of the promised indwelling Holy Spirit, and the book of Acts to recognize who they became after. (Frankly, I prefer not to be compared to them at all, though I recognize the same indwelling Holy Spirit in me, causing me to see the transformation He worked in them and leading me on to be more like them.)

Ephesians 2:14 continued: ποιήσας, who has made, τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν, us both one (literally, “the both one”; e.g., Gentiles…those called foreskin, and those called the circumcision), καὶ, and, τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ, the dividing wall, λύσας, has broken down, τὴν ἔχθραν, of hostility (literally, “the hostility”), ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, in his flesh (or “by means of his flesh”). Three different English translations of καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας follow:

Ephesians 2:14c (ESV)

Ephesians 2:14c (NET)

Ephesians 2:14c (KJV)

and has broken down…the dividing wall and who destroyed the middle wall of partition and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

These English translations change some with the addition of the words which follow those above: τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ.

Ephesians 2:14cd (ESV)

Ephesians 2:14cd, 15b (NET)

Ephesians 2:14c, 15b (KJV)

and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, …in his flesh and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; …in his flesh the enmity

It slows me down and prompts me to wonder what καὶ, and (ESV, NET, KJV), means here. All three translations render τὸ μεσότοιχον, the dividing wall (ESV, though this is more likely the translation of τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ), the middle wall (NET, KJV), in the accusative case as the direct object of the nominative participle λύσας. Both τὸ and μεσότοιχον might be understood in the nominative case as well. I want to consider that possibility if for no other reason than to reject it.

So, if τὸ μεσότοιχον was intended as the subject of its own clause, it needs to do something.

…who has made the both one and the middle wall of partition has broken down the hostility.

Here, and coordinates two relatively independent clauses. The direct object of the second clause, τὴν ἔχθραν, the hostility, is in the accusative case. It fits grammatically, but whose hostility? What hostility is broken down by a middle wall of partition? “For He, He is our peace, who has made the both one and good fences make good neighbors”? If I add ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, in his flesh, to this word string, things get very strange.

…who has made the both one and the middle wall of partition has broken down the hostility in his flesh.

The second independent clause sounds like the opposite of the truth. Frankly, I would feel better understanding the middle wall as the subject of its own independent clause if it were followed by a verb like λύσῃ or ἔλυσε rather than a nominative participle λύσας, like ποιήσας, has made (ESV), in the previous clause. And that’s a good clue to accepting that τὸ μεσότοιχον, the dividing wall (ESV), the middle wall (NET, KJV), should probably be understood in the accusative case.

The translators of the NET did something interesting: and who destroyed the middle wall of partition. With the addition of the pronoun who, they brought the article across the conjunction and (καὶ), yielding λύσας to mirror ποιήσας, who has made, in the clause preceding the conjunction. They may have been on to something. But why stop at ?

For He, He is our peace, who has made the both one and who has made the middle wall of partition.

Here, and indicates a second dependent clause. But now what do I do with the nominative participle λύσας? I could treat it like the verbal adjective that it is.

For He, He is our peace, who has made the both one and who has made the broken down (ESV, KJV), (or) the destroyed (NET), middle wall of partition.

That the Lord made this middle wall of partition is a given.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Leviticus 20:26 (Tanakh) Table

Leviticus 20:26 (NET)

Leviticus 20:26 (NETS) Table

Leviticus 20:26 (English Elpenor)

And ye shall be holy unto Me; for I HaShem am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples (הָֽעַמִּ֖ים), that ye should be Mine. You must be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the other peoples (ʿam, העמים) to be mine. And you shall be holy to me, for I the Lord your God am holy, who has separated you from all the nations (πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν) to be mine. And ye shall be holy to me; because I the Lord your God [am] holy, who separated you from all nations (πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν), to be mine.

And Israel, notorious for desiring to be like all the nations, has attempted to break down this dividing wall or destroy this middle wall of partition (1 Samuel 8:4-8 ESV).

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations (gôy, הַגּוֹיִם; Septuagint: ἔθνη).” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them [Table]. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you [Table].

And the Lord spoke through the prophet Ezekiel:

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations (gôy, כַגּוֹיִם; Septuagint: τὰ ἔθνη), like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’13

A broken down (ESV, KJV) middle wall of partition corresponds to the nuanced relationship Paul described, though destroyed (NET) is a bit overstated (Romans 11:28-32 ESV).

As regards the gospel, they14 are enemies (ἐχθροὶ, a form of ἐχθρός) for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all (τοὺς πάντας, “the all,” “them all,” rather than τὰ ἀμφότερα, “the both”) to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all (τοὺς πάντας, “the all,” “them all,” rather than τὰ ἀμφότερα, “the both”).

I liked the ESV rendering of Ephesians 2:14bc: who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. Then I looked at it in Greek and noticed that the translators had rendered τὴν ἔχθραν, the hostility, in the accusative case as if it were in the genitive case, of hostility. I asked, Is that what You meant? The path He led me on (as recorded above) alerted me to some aspects of the importance of “beloved enemies.”

The “beloved enemies” who translated the Hebrew—and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, “the prince of peace”15—rather than—and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace16—could become overly persuasive apart from their status as “beloved enemies.” Even the “beloved enemies” who translated the Septuagint struggled with this Hebrew text (see table above). A son called Mighty God, Everlasting Father sounds wrong to monotheists until one meets the Lord Jesus Christ and knows Him personally.

Though they didn’t use the word who, the ESV and KJV translators have effectively brought the article across the and (καὶ) to the next clause: and [who] has broken down (ESV), and [who] hath broken down (KJV). But only the ESV translators brought τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ back across the nominative participle λύσας into the preceding clause.

Ephesians 2:14cd (NA28)

Ephesians 2:14cd (NET Parallel Greek)

Ephesians 2:14c, 15a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ και το μεσοτοιχον του φραγμου λυσας την εχθραν εν τη σαρκι αυτου

Ephesians 2:14cd (ESV)

Ephesians 2:14cd, 15b (NET)

Ephesians 2:14c, 15b (KJV)

and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, …in his flesh and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; …in his flesh the enmity

I favor treating the next phrase in the accusative case, τὴν ἔχθραν, as the beginning of a third dependent clause, second in the list following καὶ, another direct object of ποιήσας, who has made.

…who has made the hostility by means of his flesh…

This rendering clarifies the hostility (Matthew 26:57, 59-68).

Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered…Now the chief priests17 and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.18 At last two19 came forward and said,20 “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it21 in three days.’” And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” [Table]. Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death” [Table] Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped22 him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

John didn’t soft pedal the hostility engendered by Jesus’ flesh (1 John 4:1-6 ESV).

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already [Table]. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God (ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐσμεν, or “We from God exist”). Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Ephesians 2:15 continued: τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν, the law of commandments, ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας, expressed in ordinances by abolishing. Clearly, the ESV word order seemed to make more sense: by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. Translating καταργήσας by abolishing sounds wrong to me, however.

The plural noun δόγμασιν which precedes καταργήσας is in the dative case and might be understood as the means by which something was accomplished, but καταργήσας is a singular participle in the nominative case. So, I’m inclined to drop by, leaving: abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. But καταργήσας is in the aorist rather than the present tense. So, I’m inclined to treat this clause as a fourth dependent clause, third in the list following καὶ, another direct object of ποιήσας, and to treat καταργήσας as a verbal adjective describing the state of the law of commandments by means of δόγμασιν.

…who has made the law of commandments abolished by means of ordinances…

A translators’ note (29) in the NET makes a fairly strong case for the word nullify as a translation of καταργήσας:

Or “rendered inoperative.” This is a difficult text to translate because it is not easy to find an English term which communicates well the essence of the author’s meaning, especially since legal terminology is involved. Many other translations use the term “abolish” (so NRSV, NASB, NIV84), but this term implies complete destruction which is not the author’s meaning here. The verb καταργέω (katargeō) can readily have the meaning “to cause someth. to lose its power or effectiveness” (BDAG 525 s.v. 2, where this passage is listed), and this meaning fits quite naturally here within the author’s legal mindset. A proper English term which communicates this well is “nullify” since this word carries the denotation of “making something legally null and void.” This is not, however, a common English word. An alternate term like “rendered inoperative [or ineffective]” is also accurate but fairly inelegant. For this reason, the translation retains the term “nullify”; it is the best choice of the available options, despite its problems.

That gives me: “who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of ordinances,” or “by means of ordinances nullified” for a word order identical to the Greek: ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας. The plural noun δόγμασιν is a neuter form of δόγμα, dogma, in the dative case, “nullified by means of dogmas”: “a doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church.”23 In other words: “who has made the law of commandments (e.g., promises to be pursued by faith) nullified by means of dogmas” (which incite people to pursue a law that would lead to righteousnessas if it were based on works). 

As Paul wrote (Romans 9:31, 32 ESV):

Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law [Table]. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone [Table].

That the Lord made the law of commandments is a given (Exodus 20). And pursuing righteousness as if it were based on works was the upshot of the partial hardening [that] has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.24

For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people, to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”; yet they would not hear. And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.25

What I have, then, in relatively few words is another26 of Paul’s panoramic history lessons: “For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas” ἵνα, that (or “in order that”), τοὺς δύο, the two, κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ, he might create in himself (or “He might create by means of himself”), εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, “into” one new man (or “into one new human”), ποιῶν εἰρήνην, making peace (Ephesians 2:14, 15 EXP16):

For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas in order that He might create by means of himself the two into one new human, making peace.

Laid out like this I’m more inclined to understand the both who [He] has made one ( ποιήσας) differently from the two He might create (κτίσῃ, a form of κτίζω) into one new human (εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον). The former one is probably more akin to Paul’s insight that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,27 while the latter one is the sum total of all who did receive him (e.g., Jesus: The true light, which gives light to everyone28), who believed in his name, [who were given] the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God29: the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον), created (κτισθέντα, a participle of κτίζω) after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.30 And remember, the verb κτίσῃ, He might create, a form of κτίζω in the subjunctive mood is both the result and the purpose of the list of things the Lord has made:

…if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.31

This one new human (ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) is happening, no matter what I see with my eyes or imagine in my mind: For God has consigned all to disobedience, that (ἵνα) he may have mercy (ἐλεήσῃ, a form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood) on all (τοὺς πάντας, “the all,” “them all”).32

Ephesians 2:16 continued: καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ, and might reconcile, τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους, us both (literally “the both”), ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι, in one body (or “by means of one body”), τῷ θεῷ, to God (or “by means of God”), διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, through the cross, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ, thereby killing the hostility (or “having killed the hostility by means of Him”). The ESV translators seem to have understood ἀποκτείνας in the present tense rather than the aorist tense.

For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas in order that He might create by means of himself the two into one new human, making peace, and might reconcile the both by means of one body to God (by means of God) through the cross, having killed the hostility by means of Him (ἐν αὐτῷ).33

The ESV translators chose thereby for ἐν αὐτῷ. While it encourages me that their customary translation in him means “by means of Him,” it gives me pause to wonder why they chose thereby here. Did they understand αὐτῷ as a neuter, it, referencing the cross? Though the article τοῦ, the, can be neuter, σταυροῦ, cross, is masculine. Were they concerned that in him raised too many questions to whom him might refer? Truly, ἐν αὐτῷ here refers to God the Father, God the Son, through God the indwelling Holy Spirit, and all that He, the One God, has done.

For by means of grace you are, were and continue to be saved through faith, and this not from within you, God’s gift, not out from works, so that no one may boast [about oneself]. For we are his workmanship, created by means of Christ Jesus to good works which God prepared beforehand, so that by means of them we (e.g., the one new human) may walk.34

According to a note (80) in the NET Jesus alluded to Psalm 110:1 in Matthew 26:64. The following table compares the Greek of that allusion with the Septuagint.

Matthew 26:64c (NET Parallel Greek)

Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)

καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου

Matthew 26:64c (NET)

Psalm 110:1b (NETS)

Psalm 110:1b (English Elpenor)

sitting at the right hand Sit on my right hand Sit thou on my right hand

According to a note (82) in the NET Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Matthew 26:64. The following table compares the Greek of that allusion with the Septuagint.

Matthew 26:64d (NET Parallel Greek)

Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)

τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου…ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν

Matthew 26:64d (NET)

Daniel 7:13b (NETS)

Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)

the Son of Man…coming on the clouds of heaven. as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

Tables comparing Isaiah 9:6; 9:7; 1 Samuel 8:4; 8:5; 8:6; Ezekiel 20:30; 20:31; 20:32; Isaiah 28:11; 28:12 and 28:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 9:6; 9:7; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 8:4; 8:5; 8:6; Ezekiel 20:30; 20:31; 20:32; Isaiah 28:11; 28:12 and 28:13 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and comparing Ephesians 2:15; John 16:32; Matthew 26:59-61 and 26:67 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 9:6 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

Isaiah 9:6 (NET)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 9:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄξω εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας εἰρήνην καὶ ὑγίειαν αὐτῷ ὅτι παιδίον ἐγενήθη ἡμῖν, υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν, οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγεννήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ, καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελoς, < θαυμαστὸς σύμβουλος, Θεὸς ἰσχυρός, ἐξουσιαστής, ἄρχων εἰρήνης, πατὴρ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος· >: ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄξω εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, εἰρήνην καὶ ὑγίειαν αὐτῷ

Isaiah 9:6 (NETS)

Isaiah 9:6 (English Elpenor)

because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulder, and he is named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him. For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder, and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel, < Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Potentate, Prince of Peace, Father of the Age to come >: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.

Isaiah 9:7 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 9:7 (KJV)

Isaiah 9:7 (NET)

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 9:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

μεγάλη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅριον ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον Δαυιδ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ κατορθῶσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀντιλαβέσθαι αὐτῆς ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἐν κρίματι ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον ὁ ζῆλος κυρίου σαβαωθ ποιήσει ταῦτα μεγάλη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅριον ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον Δαυὶδ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ κατορθῶσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀντιλαβέσθαι αὐτῆς ἐν κρίματι καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ὁ ζῆλος Κυρίου σαβαὼθ ποιήσει ταῦτα

Isaiah 9:7 (NETS)

Isaiah 9:7 (English Elpenor)

His sovereignty is great, and his peace has no boundary upon the throne of Dauid and his kingdom, to make it prosper and to uphold it with righteousness and with judgment from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord Sabbaoth will do these things. His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: [it shall be] upon the throne of David, and [upon] his kingdom, to establish it, and to support [it] with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

1 Samuel 8:4 (Tanakh)

1 Samuel 8:4 (KJV)

1 Samuel 8:4 (NET)

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah.

1 Samuel 8:4 (Septuagint BLB)

1 Kings 8:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ συναθροίζονται ἄνδρες Ισραηλ καὶ παραγίνονται εἰς Αρμαθαιμ πρὸς Σαμουηλ καὶ συναθροίζονται ἄνδρες ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ παραγίνονται εἰς ᾿Αρμαθαὶμ πρὸς Σαμουὴλ

1 Reigns 8:4 (NETS)

1 Kings 8:4 (English Elpenor)

And the men of Israel gathered together and came to Harmathaim to Samouel And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,

1 Samuel 8:5 (Tanakh)

1 Samuel 8:5 (KJV)

1 Samuel 8:5 (NET)

And they said unto him: ‘Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’ And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.”

1 Samuel 8:5 (Septuagint BLB)

1 Kings 8:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ ἰδοὺ σὺ γεγήρακας καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου οὐ πορεύονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου καὶ νῦν κατάστησον ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς καθὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ σὺ γεγήρακας, καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου οὐ πορεύονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου· καὶ νῦν κατάστησον ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς, καθὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη

1 Reigns 8:5 (NETS)

1 Kings 8:5 (English Elpenor)

and said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not go in your way, and now appoint over us a king to judge us just like all the nations.” and they said to him, Behold, thou art grown old, and thy sons walk not in thy way; and now set over us a king to judge us as also the other nations [have].

1 Samuel 8:6 (Tanakh)

1 Samuel 8:6 (KJV)

1 Samuel 8:6 (NET)

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said: ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed unto HaShem. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.

1 Samuel 8:6 (Septuagint BLB)

1 Kings 8:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἦν πονηρὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Σαμουηλ ὡς εἶπαν δὸς ἡμῖν βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς καὶ προσηύξατο Σαμουηλ πρὸς κύριον καὶ πονηρὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Σαμουήλ, ὡς εἶπαν, δὸς ἡμῖν βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς· καὶ προσηύξατο Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Κύριον

1 Reigns 8:6 (NETS)

1 Kings 8:6 (English Elpenor)

And the message was evil in the eyes of Samouel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” and Samouel prayed to the Lord. And the thing [was] evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord.

Ezekiel 20:30 (Tanakh)

Ezekiel 20:30 (KJV)

Ezekiel 20:30 (NET)

Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

Ezekiel 20:30 (Septuagint BLB)

Ezekiel 20:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)

διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὸν πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ισραηλ τάδε λέγει κύριος εἰ ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν βδελυγμάτων αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς ἐκπορνεύετε διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὸν πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· εἰ ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν βδελυγμάτων αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς ἐκπορνεύετε

Ezekiel 20:30 (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:30 (English Elpenor)

Therefore, speak to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord says: Are you defiling yourselves in the lawless acts of your fathers, and are you playing the whore after their abominations? Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Do ye pollute yourselves with the iniquities of your fathers, and do ye go a-whoring after their abominations,

Ezekiel 20:31 (Tanakh)

Ezekiel 20:31 (KJV)

Ezekiel 20:31 (NET)

For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. When you present your sacrifices—when you make your sons pass through the fire—you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me!

Ezekiel 20:31 (Septuagint BLB)

Ezekiel 20:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν δομάτων ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀφορισμοῖς ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν ὑμῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας καὶ ἐγὼ ἀποκριθῶ ὑμῖν οἶκος τοῦ Ισραηλ ζῶ ἐγώ λέγει κύριος εἰ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν καὶ εἰ ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν δομάτων ὑμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀφορισμοῖς, οἷς ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν ὑμῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀποκριθῶ ὑμῖν, οἶκος τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ; ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει Κύριος, εἰ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν, καὶ εἰ ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν τοῦτο

Ezekiel 20:31 (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:31 (English Elpenor)

And by the first fruits of your gifts, with what has been set apart, you defile yourselves in all your notions to this day. And am I to answer you, O house of Israel? I live, says the Lord, if I will answer you and if it will come upinto this spirit of yours. and [do ye pollute yourselves] with the first-fruits of your gifts, in the offerings wherewith ye pollute yourselves in all your imaginations, until this day; and shall I answer you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord, I will not answer you, neither shall this thing come upon your spirit.

Ezekiel 20:32 (Tanakh)

Ezekiel 20:32 (KJV)

Ezekiel 20:32 (NET)

And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. “‘What you plan will never happen. You say, “We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.”

Ezekiel 20:32 (Septuagint BLB)

Ezekiel 20:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς λέγετε ἐσόμεθα ὡς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ὡς αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ λατρεύειν ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς λέγετε· ἐσόμεθα ὡς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ὡς αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ λατρεύειν ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις

Ezekiel 20:32 (NETS)

Ezekiel 20:32 (English Elpenor)

And it shall not be as you say: We will be like the nations and like the tribes of the earth by serving wood and stones. And it shall not be as ye say, We will be as the nations, and as the tribes of the earth, to worship stocks and stones.

Isaiah 28:11 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 28:11 (KJV)

Isaiah 28:11 (NET)

For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to these people.

Isaiah 28:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 28:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

διὰ φαυλισμὸν χειλέων διὰ γλώσσης ἑτέρας ὅτι λαλήσουσιν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ διὰ φαυλισμὸν χειλέων διὰ γλώσσης ἑτέρας, ὅτι λαλήσουσι τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ

Isaiah 28:11 (NETS)

Isaiah 28:11a (English Elpenor)

because of contempt from lips, through a different tongue, because they will speak to this people, by reason of the contemptuous [words] of the lips, by means of another language: for they shall speak to this people,

Isaiah 28:12 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 28:12 (KJV)

Isaiah 28:12 (NET)

To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted. This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.

Isaiah 28:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 28:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

λέγοντες αὐτῷ τοῦτο τὸ ἀνάπαυμα τῷ πεινῶντι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ σύντριμμα καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἀκούειν λέγοντες αὐτῷ· τοῦτο τὸ ἀνάπαυμα τῷ πεινῶντι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ σύντριμμα, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἀκούειν

Isaiah 28:12 (NETS)

Isaiah 28:11b, 12 (English Elpenor)

saying to them, “This is the rest for the hungry, and this is the destruction”; yet they would not hear. saying to them, (12) This is the rest to him that is hungry, and this is the calamity: but they would not hear.

Isaiah 28:13 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 28:13 (KJV)

Isaiah 28:13 (NET)

But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. So the Lord’s message to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured.

Isaiah 28:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 28:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται αὐτοῖς τὸ λόγιον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ θλῖψις ἐπὶ θλῖψιν ἐλπὶς ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ἔτι μικρὸν ἔτι μικρόν ἵνα πορευθῶσιν καὶ πέσωσιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ κινδυνεύσουσιν καὶ συντριβήσονται καὶ ἁλώσονται καὶ ἔσται αὐτοῖς τὸ λόγιον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ θλῖψις ἐπὶ θλῖψιν, ἐλπὶς ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι, ἔτι μικρὸν ἔτι μικρόν, ἵνα πορευθῶσι καὶ πέσωσιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ κινδυνεύσουσι καὶ συντριβήσονται καὶ ἁλώσονται

Isaiah 28:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 28:13 (English Elpenor)

And the oracle of the Lord God will be to them affliction upon affliction, hope upon hope, yet a little, yet a little, in order that they may go and fall backward, and they will be in danger and crushed and taken. Therefore the oracle of God shall be to them affliction on affliction, hope on hope, yet a little, [and] yet a little, that they may go and fall backward; and they shall be crushed and shall be in danger, and shall be taken.

Ephesians 2:15 (NET)

Ephesians 2:15 (KJV)

when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace, Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Ephesians 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Ephesians 2:15b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Ephesians 2:15b (Byzantine Majority Text)

τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην τον νομον των εντολων εν δογμασιν καταργησας ινα τους δυο κτιση εν εαυτω εις ενα καινον ανθρωπον ποιων ειρηνην τον νομον των εντολων εν δογμασιν καταργησας ινα τους δυο κτιση εν εαυτω εις ενα καινον ανθρωπον ποιων ειρηνην

John 16:32 (NET)

John 16:32 (KJV)

Look, a time is coming—and has come—when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone because my Father is with me. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

John 16:32 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 16:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 16:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἰδοὺ ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ ἐλήλυθεν ἵνα σκορπισθῆτε ἕκαστος εἰς τὰ ἴδια καμὲ μόνον ἀφῆτε· καὶ οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν ιδου ερχεται ωρα και νυν εληλυθεν ινα σκορπισθητε εκαστος εις τα ιδια και εμε μονον αφητε και ουκ ειμι μονος οτι ο πατηρ μετ εμου εστιν ιδου ερχεται ωρα και νυν εληλυθεν ινα σκορπισθητε εκαστος εις τα ιδια και εμε μονον αφητε και ουκ ειμι μονος οτι ο πατηρ μετ εμου εστιν

Matthew 26:59-61 (NET)

Matthew 26:59-61 (KJV)

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

Matthew 26:59 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 26:59 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 26:59 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ τὸ συνέδριον ὅλον ἐζήτουν ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν θανατώσωσιν οι δε αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι και το συνεδριον ολον εζητουν ψευδομαρτυριαν κατα του ιησου οπως αυτον θανατωσωσιν οι δε αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι και το συνεδριον ολον εζητουν ψευδομαρτυριαν κατα του ιησου οπως θανατωσωσιν αυτον
But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

Matthew 26:60 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 26:60, 61a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 26:60, 61a (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ οὐχ εὗρον πολλῶν προσελθόντων ψευδομαρτύρων. ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο και ουχ ευρον και πολλων ψευδομαρτυρων προσελθοντων ουχ ευρον (61) υστερον δε προσελθοντες δυο ψευδομαρτυρες και ουχ ευρον και πολλων ψευδομαρτυρων προσελθοντων ουχ ευρον (61) υστερον δε προσελθοντες δυο ψευδομαρτυρες
and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Matthew 26:61 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 26:61b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 26:61b (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἶπαν· οὗτος ἔφη· δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι ειπον ουτος εφη δυναμαι καταλυσαι τον ναον του θεου και δια τριων ημερων οικοδομησαι αυτον ειπον ουτος εφη δυναμαι καταλυσαι τον ναον του θεου και δια τριων ημερων οικοδομησαι αυτον

Matthew 26:67 (NET)

Matthew 26:67 (KJV)

Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Matthew 26:67 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 26:67 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 26:67 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Τότε ἐνέπτυσαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκολάφισαν αὐτόν, οἱ δὲ ἐράπισαν τοτε ενεπτυσαν εις το προσωπον αυτου και εκολαφισαν αυτον οι δε ερραπισαν τοτε ενεπτυσαν εις το προσωπον αυτου και εκολαφισαν αυτον οι δε ερραπισαν

1 Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

2 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αὐτῷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτω (KJV: himself).

3 Romans, Part 22 for a table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to Micah 7:6 to that of the Septuagint.

4 NET note 36 reads:

sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.
tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”

5 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νυν (KJV: is now come) preceding has come. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

6 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καμὲ (NET: and I) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εμε (KJV: and…me).

7 The verb ἔχητε, you may have, is a form of ἔχω in the present tense and subjunctive mood. The clause begins with ἵνα, that, and is a result clause: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances…However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.” From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

8 The words ἐμοὶ and τῷ κόσμῳ are in the dative case: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

9 John 16:32, 33 (ESV)

10 Luke 22:42b (ESV) Table

11 Matthew 26:56b (ESV)

12 Matthew 10:28 (ESV) Table

13 Ezekiel 20:30-32 (ESV)

14 …a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25b ESV [Table]).

16 Isaiah 9:6b (ESV)

17 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και οι πρεσβυτεροι (KJV: and elders) following the chief priests. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

18 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουχ ευρον (KJV: yet found they none) repeated here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

19 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ψευδομαρτυρες (KJV: false witnesses) following two. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

22 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐράπισαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ερραπισαν. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

23 From definition 2 of dogma on Merriam-Webster Dictionary online.

24 Romans 11:25b (ESV) Table

25 Isaiah 28:11-13 (ESV)

27 Romans 3:9b (ESV)

28 John 1:9a (ESV)

29 John 1:12, 13 (ESV)

30 Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

32 Romans 11:32 (ESV)

33 Ephesians 2:14-16 (EXP16)

34 Ephesians 2:8-10 (EXP14)

Christianity, Part 10

There are 10 occurrences of πάντας in Romans [see Table below] the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.1 I’ll consider seven of them in some detail. The first occurrence is probably universal (Romans 3:9 ESV):

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all (πάντας), both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,

I might argue that πάντας was limited here by both Jews and Greeks (Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ ῞Ελληνας) to those people living around the Mediterranean Sea at the time Paul wrote his letter to Roman believers. The context argues against it. I’ve never heard anyone make that argument. But consider what Jesus said (Luke 5:32 ESV):

I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).

If I refuse to take this as evidence of the existence of righteous people Jesus did not come to call, I am likely to take righteous (δικαίους) as his rhetorical contrast to sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὺς), the all He came to callto repentance. This is especially true if I remember Peter (2 Peter 3:9 ESV [Table]):

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).

For there is no distinction [Table], Paul clarified, for all (πάντες, another form of πᾶς) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.2 This leads to the next occurrence of πάντας in Romans, but it is prefaced by a discussion I call the limit of the law (Romans 3:19, 20 ESV).

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified (οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ) in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

I did alright as an atheist as long as I was willing to consider myself evil. I was playing kind of a word game, since I had already “decided that what God said was evil was at least potentially good, and what God said was good was probably generally evil.”3 Paul’s “limit of the law” became important to me eventually because:4

When I wanted to consider myself good again I invented “more realistic” rules than yehôvâh’s to obey. I failed to obey them. So I made “even more realistic” rules. Eventually my standards were so low even I realized they were unworkable. And I still wasn’t keeping them!

When I returned to faith I knew my own limitations but still expected Jesus to help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,5 my obedience to the law, that is. He wouldn’t help me do that. He helped me to believe my own experience and Paul’s writing instead: by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight,6 since through the law comes knowledge of sin.7 Only then was I ready to receive the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21-26 ESV).

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all (πάντας) who believe. For there is no distinction [Table]: for all (πάντες) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus [Table].

Here πάντας is clearly limited by τοὺς πιστεύοντας (ESV: who believe). Of all the sinners who have ever lived on earth only those who believe have the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.8 And since the total number of sinners is equal to the total number of people except for Jesus Christ, of all the other people who have ever lived on earth only those who believe are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.9 That’s where I began my own journey, so that’s where I’ll begin here.

Given my history, that was a heavy burden for my faith to bear. I should point out that πιστεύοντας (ESV: believe) is in the present tense, which has a now and forever aspect to it. Jesus warned his disciples (Matthew 24:9-14 ESV):

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

For a while, I relied on my faith to accomplish all of this, believing my faith was faith in Jesus Christ10 despite the fact that He wouldn’t help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law.11 I had noticed that the word in in the phrase faith in Jesus Christ was not actually a preposition in Greek: πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ. I even questioned why the genitive case was translated faith in Jesus Christ when of would have been a more normal translation. Still, the faith of Jesus Christ didn’t resonate with me until Peter’s stroll on the Sea of Galilee rocked my world. After that I wanted “to depend on Jesus’ faith. He has the faith to stand on the water and hold Peter up as well.”12 Then I heard (Romans 3:21-24 NET):

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed—namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all (πάντας) who believe. For there is no distinction [Table], for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

A lengthy note (27) in the NET explained the translators’ choice for πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ, the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Though a “decision is difficult here” and “the grammar is not decisive,” my own experience of Jesus’ faithfulness was sufficient to persuade me that the one who wrote, I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me,13 would encourage sinners to believe in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ rather than faith in Jesus Christ, to rely wholly on Him rather than some ephemeral thing they conjure in their own minds.

The next three occurrences of πάντας follow (Romans 5:12-21 ESV).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all (πάντας) men because all (πάντες) sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam [Genesis 3:1-24], who was a type of the one who was to come [Table].

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all (πάντας) men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all (πάντας) men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The first occurrence of πάντας here is limited by men (ἀνθρώπους, a form of ἄνθρωπος), human beings created male and female rather than ἄνδρας (a form of ἀνήρ), men as distinct from women or boys. But the point is that death spread to all (πάντας) people because all (πάντες) sinned.14

It’s in this light that I want to consider Paul’s usage of forms of the adjective πολύς (Romans 5:15b ESV).

For if many (πολλοὶ, a form of πολύς) died through one man’s trespass, much (πολλῷ, another form of πολύς) more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many (πολλοὺς, another form of πολύς).

The first many was οἱ (a form of ) πολλοὶ, and can be legitimately translated “these many” or “those many,” referring back to all (πάντας): For if [these] many died through one man’s trespass. The next clause is related to the first one by πολλῷ μᾶλλον, much more (ESV). So, the second clause grows much more from the first: much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. The Greek words translated for many were εἰς τοὺς πολλοὺς, which could legitimately be translated “for these many” or “for those many,” referring immediately back to οἱ πολλοὶ (“these many” or “those many”) who died (ἀπέθανον, a form of ἀποθνήσκω).

I think the cleverness of the usage of forms of πολύς here is directly attributable to Paul’s knowledge that though Jesus died He was exempt from the all (πάντες) who sinned, and though Enoch and Elijah sinned, they were exempt from the all (πάντας) who died. But I seriously doubt that Paul or the Holy Spirit considered that the many (τοὺς πολλοὺς) for whom the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded was a quantity significantly less than the many (οἱ πολλοὶ) who died through one man’s trespass.

The next occurrence of πάντας was also limited by men: Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all (πάντας) men.15 Here, too, men was ἀνθρώπους not ἄνδρας. This is a reference to all people, even Jesus: For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become16 the righteousness of God.17

And the next occurrence of πάντας is like the previous one: so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all (πάντας) men.18 It’s a fairly straightforward statement for any who have ears to hear. Granted, those who believe in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ may find it easier to hear than those who believe in faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul switched from πάντας to the adjective πολλοὶ again to continue his discussion: For as by the one man’s disobedience the many (οἱ πολλοί) were made sinners.19 “These many” or “those many” who were made sinners refers back to the all for whom one trespass led to condemnation. I’m assuming οἱ πολλοί gave Paul and the Holy Spirit the latitude to exclude Jesus from the category sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ). The next clause continues: so by the one man’s obedience the many (οἱ πολλοί) will be made righteous,20 the same many who were made sinners.

And again, this is easier to hear if one believes it will be accomplished by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ rather than by faith in Jesus Christ. Though God made (ἐποίησεν) him to be sin, I assume that οἱ πολλοί gave Paul and the Holy Spirit the latitude to exempt Jesus from any necessity of being made (κατασταθήσονται) righteous in the future.

The last two occurrences of πάντας that I’ll consider in this essay follow (Romans 11:29-32 ESV):

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all (τοὺς πάντας) to disobedience, that he may have mercy21 on all (τοὺς πάντας).

Here τοὺς πάντας could be legitimately translated “these all” or “those all.” This reminds me of a snowball gaining mass and momentum as it rolls downhill. If God shows mercy to someone as disobedient as I have been, it only gives Him more latitude to show mercy to someone as disobedient as you have been, and on, and on, and on, and on. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, Jesus said, will draw all people to myself.22

This exercise, however, has made it quite clear to me that all of these things are easier to hear if one believes in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. They are almost impossible to hear if one believes faith in Christ is the personal achievement that justifies one before God.

The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in Romans

Reference

NET Parallel Greek

ESV
Romans 3:9 προῃτιασάμεθα γὰρ Ἰουδαίους τε καὶ ῞Ελληνας πάντας ὑφ᾿ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
Romans 3:22

δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως |Ἰησοῦ| Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας

the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Romans 5:12 οὕτως εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὁ θάνατος διῆλθεν so death spread to all men
Romans 5:18 ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς παραπτώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς κατάκριμα as one trespass led to condemnation for all men
οὕτως καὶ δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἰς δικαίωσιν ζωῆς so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for fall men.
Romans 10:12

πλουτῶν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους αὐτόν

bestowing his riches on all who call on him

Romans 11:32 συνέκλεισεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς πάντας εἰς ἀπείθειαν For God has consigned all to disobedience
ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 16:15

τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους

the brothers who are with them.

Romans 16:19 ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο your obedience is known to all

1 John 12:32 (ESV)

2 Romans 3:22b, 23 (ESV)

5 Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

7 Romans 3:20 (ESV)

8 Romans 3:22a (ESV) Table

9 Romans 3:24 (ESV)

10 Romans 3:22b (ESV) Table

11 Philippians 3:9a (ESV)

13 Galatians 2:20a (NET)

14 Romans 5:12b (ESV)

15 Romans 5:18a (ESV)

16 Both γινωμεθα (Stephanus Textus Receptus) and γενώμεθα (NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text) are 1st person plural verbs in the subjunctive mood, hence the translation we might become (ESV). But this is a result clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action,” Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions).

17 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) Table

18 Romans 5:18b (ESV)

19 Romans 5:19a (ESV)

20 Romans 5:19b (ESV)

21 The Greek word translated he may have mercy was ἐλεήσῃ, a 3rd person singular form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood. This is, however, a result or purpose clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action,” Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions).

22 John 12:32 (ESV)

Romans, Part 14

But if our (ἡμῶν) unrighteousness demonstrates (συνίστησιν, a form of συνιστάω) the righteousness of God, Paul continued, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?  (I am speaking in human terms.)1  This is similar, though not identical, to a concern Paul addressed later in his letter to the Romans (Romans 9:22-24 NET):

But what if God, willing to demonstrate (ἐνδείξασθαι, a form of ἐνδείκνυμι) his wrath and to make known (γνωρίσαι, a form of γνωρίζω) his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction?  And what if he is willing to make known (γνωρίσῃ, another form of γνωρίζω) the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory – even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

In the latter example there is no question about God’s righteousness when inflicting wrath, but these two are joined in my opinion as some of the implications of faith comes by hearing (ἀκοῆς, a form of ἀκοή), and hearing comes by God (or Christ) uttering, “hear,” that Paul worked through in this letter.  Paul’s differentiation of the objects of wrath from the objects of mercy, whom [God] has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles, and the caveat in Romans 3:5—I am speaking in human terms—leads me to the conclusion that our unrighteousness is an example of Paul identifying with every human being from Romans 3:4 (NET),2 in particular those who have not yet been told to “hear.”

And I seriously question the translation of συνίστησιν (a form of συνιστάω) as demonstrates here.  It seems to me the translators are trying to make the question as obtuse as possible.  To demonstrate is to “clearly show the existence or truth of (something) by giving proof or evidence,” or to “give a practical exhibition and explanation of” something.  Clearly the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them will never show the existence or truth of the righteousness of God by giving proof or evidence.  Neither will their unrighteousness give a practical exhibition and explanation of God’s righteousness.

In the King James translation the word commend was used for συνίστησιν.  One of the definitions of commend is to “present as suitable for approval or acceptance.”  Now, the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them might very well commend the righteousness of God if the two are presented side by side for comparison and contrast.  So then I have a real question:  If the unrighteousness of those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear” to them commends the righteousness of God, is God unrighteous when he inflicts wrath on them?

Absolutely not! Paul said unequivocally.  For otherwise how could God judge (κρινεῖ, a form of κρίνω) the world?3  Paul already stated that there is no partiality4 with God.  For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.5  None of that changes because the hearing that is so crucial to faith in Christ comes from God rather than from some special insight or intelligence or virtue in those who hear and believe the message.

For if by my lie, Paul continued, the truth of God enhances (ἐπερίσσευσεν, a form of περισσεύω) his glory (δόξαν, a form of δόξα), why am I still actually being judged (κρίνομαι, another form of κρίνω ) as a sinner?6  I think it is safe to assume that Paul was still speaking in human terms.7  But I want to entertain the question.  After all, one of the reasons Paul gave for the wrath of God in the first chapter of Romans was they did not glorify (ἐδόξασαν, a form of δοξάζω) him as God.8  And here is God’s glory (δόξαν, a form of δόξα) being enhanced by the truth of God in juxtaposition to the lie of one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear.”

I criticize the NET translators often without any standing to do so.  So I want to make a point of saying I think they have it exactly right here.  It is the truth of God which enhances his glory, not the lie.  The answer is in the question.  The one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” is judged as a sinner precisely because of the truth of God, for sinner he is.

Paul was laying the groundwork for a statement that occurs later in his letter to the Romans: But the gracious gift is not like the transgression.  For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, how much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply (ἐπερίσσευσεν, a form of περισσεύω) to the many!9  The fact that God is gracious does not alter the fact that the one who has no faith because he does not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” is a sinner.  And it certainly doesn’t mean that sinning is a good way to enhance (ἐπερίσσευσεν) or multiply (ἐπερίσσευσεν) the grace of God.

And why not say, Paul continued, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”? – as some who slander us allege that we say.10  Paul switched roles abruptly here, from identifying with those who have no faith because they do not hear the message of Christ because He has not yet uttered “hear,” to those who have faith because they hear the message of Christ because He has uttered “hear.”

Apparently there were Jews, slanderers or blasphemers of the believers in Christ, who alleged that the Gospel message was, Let us do evil so that good may come of it.  The Jewish leaders assumed that Jesus was not of God because He healed on the Sabbath and called God his Father.11  A disciple is not greater than his teacher, Jesus said, nor a slave greater than his master.  It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master.  If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!12  Paul answered those slanderers or blasphemers curtly but factually, Their condemnation is deserved!13

What then? Are we better than they?14  I quoted from the New King James translation for a reason.  I believe Paul was saying, “What then?  Are we, who have faith because we hear the message of Christ because He has uttered ‘hear,’ better than they whose condemnation is deserved?”  The NET renders it, What then?  Are we better off?15  It may seem nitpicky but I would say, “Yes, those who have faith because they hear the message of Christ because He has uttered ‘hear’ are much better off than those whose condemnation is deserved, because they won’t receive the condemnation they also deserve.”  But are they better, holding themselves before those whose condemnation is deserved?  Certainly not, for we have already charged that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin16

Now, some translations17 that use better off, also assume that Paul was identifying with Jews here and add that to the text: Does it mean that we Jews are better off than the Gentiles?18  In that case, better and better off are essentially equivalent.  But then the slanderers or blasphemers would have been Gentiles who accused Jews of preaching “Let us do evil so that good may come of it.”  Granted Paul did write Jews and Greeks, but I assume that to be a literary way of saying all (or, no one) like the Old Testament quotations that follow (Romans 3:10-18 NET):

…just as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one [Table].”  “Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips.”  “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”  “Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.”  “There is no fear of God before their eyes.

 

Addendum: March 24, 2021
A table comparing Romans 2:11 in the NET and KJV follows.

Romans 2:11 (NET)

Romans 2:11 (KJV)

For there is no partiality with God. For there is no respect of persons with God.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

οὐ γάρ ἐστιν προσωπολημψία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ου γαρ εστιν προσωποληψια παρα τω θεω ου γαρ εστιν προσωποληψια παρα τω θεω

1 Romans 3:5 (NET)

2every human being shown up as a liarTable

3 Romans 3:6 (NET)

5 Romans 2:11, 12 (NET)

6 Romans 3:7 (NET)

7 Romans 3:5 (NET)

9 Romans 5:15 (NET)

10 Romans 3:8 (NET)

12 Matthew 10:24, 25 (NET)

13 Romans 3:8 (NET)

14 Romans 3:9a (NKJV)

15 Romans 3:9a (NET)

16 Romans 3:9b (NET)

17 The New American Bible is interesting in that the translators recognized the problem of better off and addressed it in the verse by changing the answer:  Well, then, are we better off?  Not entirely, for we have already brought the charge against Jews and Greeks alike that they are all under the domination of sin… Romans 3:9 (NAB)

18 Romans 3:9 (CEV)