Thursday, July 18, 2019

Aune and Soards Explain 1 Corinthians 12:10

Commenting on 1 Cor. 12:10, David Aune writes:

"The term 'spirits' in the phrase might more appropriately be understood as 'prophetic utterances' or 'revelations of the Spirit,' on analogy with the use of the term 'spirit' (pneuma) in 2 Thess 2:2, 1 John 4:1; and particularly 1 Cor 14:12" (Prophecy in Early Christianity, page 220).

This understanding is actually an example of Greek semantics 101, but NWT critics somehow neglect to learn this datum. But let us continue.

Regarding 1 Cor. 12:10, Marion Soards informs us that this verse "has generated considerable discussion among interpreters" (1 Corinthians, page 260). He cites the view of Gordon Fee, who thinks that pneuma in 1 Cor. 12:10 refers to a Christian "making inspired assessments of inspired utterances." Soards concludes that Fee's suggestion is "exegetically grounded and judicious" (260). The view of both men coincides with the one propounded by NWT vis-à-vis 1 Cor. 12:10 and 1 Jn. 4:1. [Fee also seems to think that PNEUMA refers to 'false teaching' in 1 Tim. 4:1 and when "misleading spirits" are mentioned in that Pauline passage.]

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