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  • From: "Rabbi Saul" <tim AT rabbisaul.com>
  • To: "Corpus-Paul" <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] Ro 12:6
  • Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 11:19:50 -0600

>Sometimes commentators obscure as much as they clarify.  One such case is Rom 12:6, specifically, "kata thn analogian thV pistewV.   What does this mean?  Wilckens, Kasemann, and even Dunn are, in my view, just not very helpful here.  Their explanations are as unclear as Paul is.  What is the "proportion of faith" and how does having this "proportion" demonstrate the giftedness of the "prophet".  Maybe its as simple as the nose on my face, but it just doesn't make sense. 
I don't think that analogian intends to "demonstrate the giftedness of the prophet."  Rather, the instructions have to do with *how* the gift is exercised.  It's often difficult to get a handle on words that are hapax (at least, only appearance in the NT).  N. T. Wright suggests that since the basic meaning "concerns proportion within a relationship," "Paul intends to refer to the proportional relationship between the Christian faith as a whole and what individual prophets say."  In other words:  pretty close to what traditional interpreters used to call "the analogy of faith."  Just because you feel inspired, don't spout off a bunch of stuff that would not integrate with what is already known.  As Wright says:  "prophets should not feel themselves at liberty to say whatever comes into their heads, but rather should speak in conscious accord with the beliefs that make the church what it is."
 
FWIW.
 
tim

 
Tim Gallant
Pastor, Conrad Christian Reformed Church
Conrad, MT
 
 
Pauline studies:
http://www.rabbisaul.com
 
(406) 278-5846 / (406) 278-7809
Fax:  (406) 278-7809
http://www.timgallant.org



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