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Romans 8:11

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 4:18 pm
by Mike Baber
I've often seen Romans 8:11 used as a prooftext that the "Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead."

Greek text:

εἰ δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐγείραντος Ἰησοῦν ἐκ νεκρῶν οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῳοποιήσει καὶ τὰ θνητὰ σώματα ὑμῶν διὰ τὸ ἐνοικοῦν αὐτοῦ Πνεῦμα ἐν ὑμῖν

English translation:

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also vivify your mortal bodies by His Spirit which dwells in you.

Here is my argument.

The text does not state "But if the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you," but rather, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you."

Grammatically, τοῦ ἐγείραντος does not stand in apposition to τὸ πνεῦμα; therefore, τοῦ ἐγείραντος is not equivalent to τὸ πνεῦμα. Had τοῦ ἐγείραντος been in apposition and thus equivalent to τὸ πνεῦμα, this participial phrase would have been in the nominative case (cannot type it out at this PC).

Rather, τοῦ ἐγείραντος, as a substantive participle in the genitive, is referring to the Father, as the Holy Spirit is elsewhere referred to as "the Spirit of the Father" (cp. Matt. 10:20 with Mark 13:11).

My argument only pertains to the grammar and not what the rest of the NT states about the Holy Spirit raising Jesus from the dead. For the record, I am a Trinitarian, and I do believe the Holy Spirit would thus have participated in the resurrection of Jesus. I do NOT think that Romans 8:11 is stating that, whether implicitly or explicitly.

Your critique is welcomed.

Re: Romans 8:11

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 11:31 pm
by David Lim
Mike Baber wrote:I've often seen Romans 8:11 used as a prooftext that the "Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead."

Greek text:

εἰ δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐγείραντος Ἰησοῦν ἐκ νεκρῶν οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν ὁ ἐγείρας τὸν Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῳοποιήσει καὶ τὰ θνητὰ σώματα ὑμῶν διὰ τὸ ἐνοικοῦν αὐτοῦ Πνεῦμα ἐν ὑμῖν

English translation:

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also vivify your mortal bodies by His Spirit which dwells in you.

Here is my argument.

The text does not state "But if the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you," but rather, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you."

Grammatically, τοῦ ἐγείραντος does not stand in apposition to τὸ πνεῦμα; therefore, τοῦ ἐγείραντος is not equivalent to τὸ πνεῦμα. Had τοῦ ἐγείραντος been in apposition and thus equivalent to τὸ πνεῦμα, this participial phrase would have been in the nominative case (cannot type it out at this PC).

Rather, τοῦ ἐγείραντος, as a substantive participle in the genitive, is referring to the Father, as the Holy Spirit is elsewhere referred to as "the Spirit of the Father" (cp. Matt. 10:20 with Mark 13:11).

My argument only pertains to the grammar and not what the rest of the NT states about the Holy Spirit raising Jesus from the dead. For the record, I am a Trinitarian, and I do believe the Holy Spirit would thus have participated in the resurrection of Jesus. I do NOT think that Romans 8:11 is stating that, whether implicitly or explicitly.

Your critique is welcomed.
Note that for the text to mean "the spirit that raised Jesus out of the dead", it would have to be "το πνευμα το εγειραν (nominative neuter) ιησουν εκ νεκρων". Furthermore the second part of the sentence is essentially parallel with the first, in other words, "if God raised Jesus out of the dead and his spirit dwells in you, God who raised Jesus out of the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive because of his spirit which indwells in you." You can consider "του εγειραντος ιησουν εκ νεκρων" as the possessive form of "ο εγειρας ιησουν εκ νεκρων" which is a complete self-contained reference to "ο θεος". Then "το πνευμα του εγειραντος ιησουν εκ νεκρων" is simply equivalent to "το πνευμα του θεου" with a specific description of God.

Re: Romans 8:11

Posted: February 21st, 2012, 11:57 pm
by timothy_p_mcmahon
Mike Baber wrote:I've often seen Romans 8:11 used as a prooftext that the "Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead."
Yet another example of the abuse of Greek by people who can't read it.

You're quite correct, Mike.