Corpus-Paul

["Tony Costa" <tmcos AT canada.com>]

Jeffrey Tiona wrote:

"Tony uses "In Rom.10:4 Paul argues that Christ is the
end of the law."   as an example proving that the law
no longer exists.  
However, doesn't the word telos, which is translated
end here, have a meaning more like "goal" or "point
aimed at"?  If sin is defined as missing the mark or
point aimed at, isn't Paul saying in Rom 10:4 that
following Christ or walking like/as Christ is what
satisfies or keeps the law?
It is just that IMO this verse does more to strengthen
the argument that Paul was still pro law rather than
proving the point that he was anti law."


Tony Costa responded:

I think the answer lies in the meaning of TELOS ("end")
that is used in Rom.10:4. It certainly carries the
meaning of reaching the goal. I think Paul is arguing
that the law reached its goal in Christ, but in
reaching its goal it has also fulfilled its service and
has thus ended. The "law" here again I believe is
reference to the Mosaic law.  In the Greek text this
word, TELOS appears first, and is thus used to imply
emphasis. Thayer states that telos means “…end, ie. a.
termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to
be,…in the Scriptures also of a temporal end; Christ
has brought the law to an end.” [Joseph Henry Thayer.
The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament. (Peabody, MA : Hendrickson Publishers,
1981), 619-620.]
Thayer then alludes to Rom.10:4.  Arndt and Gingrich
point out that the verbal form of TELOS means “bring to
an end, finish, complete.” [William F. Arndt and F.
Wilbur Gingrich, 'A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament and Other Early Christian Literature', 2nd
ed. rev. and ed. by William F. Arndt, F. Wilbur
Gingrich and Frederick W.Danker from Walter Bauer’s 5th
ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 1979), 810.]
As to its nominal form, Arndt and Gingrich agree with
Thayer that it denotes “end…in the sense of
termination, cessation.” Thus, I think Paul's point is
that Christ is the termination of the law. I think
Paul's argument in Gal.3:15-25 is the same, the law was
a tutor to lead one to Christ, now that Christ has
come, the tutor (law) is no longer necessary or in
force.

Tony Costa, ThD (cand)

Tony Costa "But I do not consider my life of any account
as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the
ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify
solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts 20:24)

http://www.freewebs.com/tonycosta/