2 Corinthians 9:8 It is impossible to exaggerate the dimensions and detail of the grace of God! Plunge into the extravagance of grace where he exhibits the extreme dynamics of his bountiful dealing with us! We are already advantaged far beyond any calculation of personal merit to be totally self sufficient at all times in every possible situation that we might face! The overflow thereof amply supplies the needs of others in many creative ways to do good! (In Paul’s estimate, grace cannot be exaggerated! He bursts forth in eloquent grace language in an attempt to explain the extremities of God’s goodness, he strings together one superlative after the other in order to reinforce the all-inclusive and conclusive work of grace evidenced within us! With the word dunatei, he speaks of the powerful dynamic of God, which is a word and a late tense that Paul invents from the word dunamos! Only he uses it and repeats it 3 times in his epistles. In the words, pasan charin, Paul includes every detailed aspect of grace; then he uses the verb, perisseuo which means to exceed some number, measure, rank or need; to go over the limits, beyond and above, more than is necessary. Paul employs this verb in the Aorist Infinitive tense, perisseusai, which indicates prior completion of an action in relationship to a point in time. Greek infinitives could have either a present or aorist form. The contrast between the two forms had nothing to do with time. It is a difference of aspect. The present infinitive was used to express progressive or imperfective aspect. It pictures the action expressed by the verb as being in progress. The aorist infinitive however does not express progressive aspect. It presents the action expressed by the verb as a completed unit with a beginning and end. This is an important point since many translations of this verse suggests that God’s ability to make all grace abound towards us can only be in response to something we must first do in order to trigger God into action! Our doing good is simply the overflow of his good work within us! The word autarkes, is translated self sufficient; it is the feeling you have when you are totally satisfied with yourself. This word is only used here, in Phil 4:11 and in 1Tim 6:6. The use of this word shows Paul’s acquaintance with Stoicism. He takes this word from Greek philosophy and applies it to the revelation of the completeness of the life of our design restored in us! Paul lived his life in touch with this place within himself. He discovered that the same I am-ness that Jesus walked in, was mirrored in him! I am what I am by the grace of God!) Mirror Bible
Posted on: Sun, 11 May 2014 22:57:31 +0000
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