[b-greek] Re: Eph. 2:8

From: Dennis Hukel (hukel@bhiinc.com)
Date: Fri Jul 14 2000 - 10:55:06 EDT


Dear Jesus lover (who forgot to add his name):

I have spent some time on this passage, and there is a neuter noun in the preceding context which makes sense as the
antecedent of of TOUTO. It is PLOUTOS (wealth, riches), which is usually a masculine noun, but can also be neuter as it
is here. The "wealth of God's grace" would be the whole package of salvation, spiritual (and often physical) blessings,
resurrection, fellowship, etc. Thus it makes sense that Paul wrote that this is "the Gift of God" rather than "a gift",
and earthly-minded people would tend to think the good things in their life are derived from themselves (their own
working to achieve them) rather than from God, who truly gives everything.

Dispite all this making very good sense, most scholars prefer to think of TOUTO as refering to the previous verses in a
general way as including salvation, grace, faith, etc., but not connecting it specifically to PLOUTOS. Paul said time
and again our salvation, grace and faith.are not derived from our own efforts, so this interpretation would not be a
new revelation.

Dennis Hukel
hukel@bhiinc.com


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