B-Greek: The Biblical Greek Forum

The relevant text: καὶ σημεῖον ἔλαβεν περιτομῆς, σφραγῖδα τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν τῇ ἀκροβυστίᾳ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν πατέρα πάντων τῶν πιστευόντων δι' ἀκροβυστίας, εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι [καὶ] αὐτοῖς [τὴν] δικαιοσύνην,

My question concerns the last prepositional phrase εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι [καὶ] αὐτοῖς [τὴν] δικαιοσύνην, The first prepositional phrase used the same construction, the preposition eis with the articular infinitive. The first phrase would seem to express the purpose of God in making Abraham the father of all who believe. Should the second phrase be understood as purpose or result, or is there some overlap in the two? Should the second phrase be applied to all those who believe, or should it be construed as the first phrase with the purpose of God. If the former, unbelievers would want to believe (one supposes) for the purpose of being imputed righteousness, but the fact that they do believe indicates that as a result they are imputed righteousness.

Thanks in advance,

I think it would make better sense to take και σημειον ελαβεν περιτομης σφραγιδα της δικαιοσυνης της πιστεως της εν τη ακροβυστια as a parenthetical phrase and take εις το ειναι αυτον πατερα παντων των πιστευοντων δι ακροβυστιας as dependent on πως ουν ελογισθη εν περιτομη οντι η εν ακροβυστια ουκ εν περιτομη αλλ εν ακροβυστια from v.10.

That is fine for the first eis + articular infinitive phrase, my question concerned the understanding of the second phrase
εἰς τὸ λογισθῆναι [καὶ] αὐτοῖς [τὴν] δικαιοσύνην. The first would seem to denote God's purpose, but the second seems more unclear to me as to purpose or result.

Seems feasible several ways:
• God made Abraham father of all believers when he was uncircumcised in order for uncircumcised believers to have justification imputed to them
or
• God made Abraham father of all believers when he was uncircumcised with the result that uncircumcised believers have justification imputed to them
or
• God made Abraham father to all who believe; they believe in order to have justification imputed to them
or
• God made Abraham father to all who believe; they believe with the result that justification is imputed to them

But the ambiguity as I see it exists in the Greek text. Seems that the decision is exegetical, not grammatical.

I see the second phrase as in apposition to or explicative of the first, and so it would be a purpose clause as well. Also, while εἰς is occasionally used of result, is it so used when the object is an articular infinitive? I have always seen it as parallel to ad+gerundive in Latin, so regularly used of purpose that it would require a very clear argument from context to prove otherwise.

Barry Hofstetter wrote:I see the second phrase as in apposition to or explicative of the first, and so it would be a purpose clause as well. Also, while εἰς is occasionally used of result, is it so used when the object is an articular infinitive? I have always seen it as parallel to ad+gerundive in Latin, so regularly used of purpose that it would require a very clear argument from context to prove otherwise.

I think that the second eis infinitive clause describes the purpose of the first eis infinitive clause.
That is, Abraham became the father of all who believe in the state of uncircumcision, in order that
righteousness may be credited to them. Paul tries to establish that Gentile believers become children of
Abraham through faith. Otherwise, they are not entitled to receive any blessing from God.

Note:

παντι τῷ σπερματι ου τῷ εκ νομου μονον αλλα και τῷ εκ πιστεως Αβρααμ
[ To all the seeds, not only to those of the law but also to those of the faith of Abraham] ( Rom 4.16)

Moon Jung