BAPTISM AND FORGIVENESS WITH

perry.stepp@chrysalis.org
Wed, 29 May 96 12:30:01 -0500

Don Partain asked the question:

> In other words, in Acts 2:38, is Peter telling _already-forgiven_
> people what to do now that they have been forgiven? Or, isn't he
> instead--in answer to their question--telling them they need to repent and
> be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ _in order to be forgiven_?

As a Campbellite, I opt for the latter, although I wouldn't phrase it that way.
But you're talking theology, not Greek, and thus this discussion falls (IMHO)
outside of the purview of this forum.

But in terms of the way you're handling the Greek, I think EIS KTL. should be
read as an accusative of purpose referring back to METANOJSATE and BAPTISTHJTW.
This favors the second of your readings: Peter's listeners should repent and
be baptized for the purpose of receiving forgiveness.

However, as Drs. Winbery and Brooks have pointed out, EIS can sometimes be used
to describe loose relationships between the verb and the object, thus an
adverbial accusative of reference (B&W 55ff). I think Acts 2.38 is pretty
clearly one or the other of these: I'm not sure why B&W 60 refer to this
construction as an accusative of result.

Grace and peace,

Perry L. Stepp, Baylor University (and DeSoto Christian Church)