[Biblemat] Politics/Religion

[Robert Waters]

Beloved brother I do not think it is a wise thing to try to rewrite Greek
grammar for the sake of a prejudice.  Not saying your doing this but from my
point of view you are grasping at straws.  The imperative mood is the normal
way of expressing a command in NT Greek.  The standard Greek grammar is
Daniel B Wallace's Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of
the New Testament.  In this work Wallace is exhaustive in his treatment of
NT Greek.  He notes the imperative "moves into the realm of volition,
involving the imposition of one's will upon another" (p. 485).  How is this
done? "The imperative mood is most commonly used for commands" (ibid).
Wallace makes a nuanced distinction between commands and "prohibitive
imperatives. "  These prohibitive imperatives are then simply defined at
"negative command" (p. 487).

In Ephesians 5 there is only one imperative (relative to our discussion) and
that is "Be filled with the Spirit."  This is a fact brother and neither you
nor anyone else in history will change this fact.  This command/imperative
is followed by five modifying participles.  These participles can further be
nuanced as verbal or "result" participles.  What does this mean?  "The
participle of result is used to indicate the actual outcome or result of the
action of the main verb" (Wallace, p. 637). Interestingly enough Ephesians
5.19-21 are used specifically by Wallace as an example of participles of
result (p. 639).  He comments on the Greek of this passage, "the idea of
result here would suggest that the way in which one measures his/her success
in fulfilling the command of 5:18 is by the participles that follow"
(ibid).  The idea is the same as in Galatians 5.22-23 ... the Fruit listed
are the results or flow from keeping in step with the Spirit.

I think this is more than sufficient to demonstrate that your fundamental
interpretation of Ephesians 5 as a command is simply wrong.  I have not
begged any questions I am merely keeping your feet grounded in reality.  Do
not make arguments that are demonstrably wrong.  There are major flaws with
CENI and you have just demonstrated one ... making a command that God did
not make.
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