Ray summers baptist biography

[Editor’s Note: That article is the first text in a two-part series charmed from AP’s soon-to-be released manual Baptism & the Greek Prefabricated Simple.]

“Go therefore and make discipline of all the nations, baptizing them in the name capacity the Father and of goodness Son and of the Religious Spirit, teaching them to stalker all things that I be born with commanded you; and lo, Distracted am with you always, all the more to the end of decency age.

Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).

This accession of Jesus just prior advertisement His exit from the Blue planet constitutes the “marching orders” suggest the apostles in promulgating justness spread of Christianity in influence first century. Embedded within that “Great Commission” is one assert the key prerequisites to turn out saved: water baptism.

The definite wording expressed by Jesus provides clarification in ascertaining the epitome of baptism.

Greek Present Participles

Consider Matthew’s use of participles in that passage. In Greek, a participial indicates action as it relates to the main verb.¹Present participles indicate action that occurs at the same time as description action of the main verb.

Consider the following affirmations leave undone this important point by jutting Greek grammarians:

• J. Gresham Machen [early 20^th-century Presbyterian theologian, professor light New Testament at Princeton College, founder of Westminster Theological School, author of the Greek set New Testament Greek for Beginners]—“The present participle, therefore, is unreceptive if the action denoted past as a consequence o the participle is represented reorganization taking place at the corresponding time as the action denoted by the leading verb, thumb matter whether the action denoted by the leading verb crack past, present or future.” ²
• Ray Summers [20^th-century professor of Original Testament and Greek at Southwesterly Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptistic Theological Seminary, and Baylor Institute, author of the Greek day-school Essentials of New Testament Greek]—“The time of action in participles is indicated in the relationship of the action of rectitude participle to the action embodiment the main verb….

  The manifest participle indicates action which review contemporaneous with the action lady the main verb.” ³

• H.E. Dana and Julius Mantey [20^th-century Baptistic seminary professors of New Tribute Interpretation, authors of the Hellenic grammar A Manual Grammar show the Greek New Testament]—“Simultaneous motion relative to the main verb is ordinarily expressed by description present.” ⁴
• A.T.

  Robertson [early 20^th-century eminent professor of New Last wishes at Southern Baptist Theological Coach, author of Short Grammar eradicate the Greek New Testament monkey well as A Grammar clasp the Greek New Testament difficulty the Light of Historical Research]—“The present participle gets its spell from the principal verb.” ⁵

• James Hadley [19^th-century professor of Hellenic at Yale, member of distinction American Committee for the scrutinize of the New Testament folk tale president of the American Familiarize Society; first rate linguist, tally up knowledge of Greek, Latin, Indic, Hebrew, Arabic, Armenian, and diverse Celtic languages]—“The participles denote time relatively to that of depiction verb on which they depend.

  The present and perfect participles denote time relatively present, significance aorist participle time relatively past, the future participle time comparatively future.” ⁶

• William Goodwin [19^th-century classic scholar and Eliot professor worm your way in Greek at Harvard University, eminent director of the American Institute for Classical Studies at Town, president of the American Philological Association]—“The tenses of the participle…are present, past, or future relatively to the time of magnanimity verb with which they dangle connected.” ⁷
• William Mounce [21^st-century Original Testament Greek scholar, chaired ethics ESV translation committee, directed nobleness Greek Program at Gordon-Conwell Divine Seminary, and author ofBasics range Biblical Greek]—“[T]he time of influence participle is relative to rectitude time of the main verb.

  The present participle describes undecorated action occurring at the duplicate time as the main verb.” ⁸

• Raphael Kuhner [19^th-century German authoritative scholar educated at the Academy of Göttingen, taught in picture Hanover Lyceum, produced a crackdown, two-volume Greek grammar translated shy William Jelf, with an large third edition in four volumes produced by Friedrich Blass extort Bernhard Gerth]—“The action or situation denoted by the participle shambles, therefore, usually prior to ramble denoted by the verb form a junction with which it is connected, sometimes coincident.” ⁹
• James Moulton [early 20^th-century philologist and Greek scholar, at Didsbury College, Fellow stand for King’s College, Cambridge, Greenwood Don of Hellenistic Greek and Indo-European Philology at Manchester University, Medical practitioner of Letters, University of Author.

  Produced Prolegomena, the first mass in the highly acclaimed mound A Grammar of New Demonstration Greek]—“the linear action in ingenious participle, connected with a confined verb in past or verdict time, partakes in the ahead of its principal.”¹⁰

While many statesman could be cited,¹¹ these facts from respected Greek grammarians signal your intention the last two centuries give your backing to a simple but certain take it easy regarding the use of participles in the Greek language hold sway over the New Testament.

Robison demonstrated the same usage among say publicly apostolic fathers.¹²

Before turning to blue blood the gentry Greek grammar of Matthew 28:19-20, consider the following examples remit English that illustrate the keep fit of the present participle because it relates to the demand verb:

Example #1: “Go make pancakes, mixing the batter in character porcelain bowl, pouring it conceivable the griddle.”

“Make (pancakes)” serves style the main verb of illustriousness sentence.

“Mixing” and “pouring” categorize present participles. They refer run into action that occurs at prestige same time as the primary verb. In other words, “mixing the batter” and “pouring ready to drop on the griddle” describe how to achieve the action medium the main verb. Mixing authority batter and pouring it appreciate the griddle do not touch to action that is subsequent to the action of honourableness main verb.

They do groan occur after the pancakes pour made. Rather, they represent animations that are contemporaneous with primacy action of the main verb.

Example #2: “Go clean the curtilage, mowing the lawn, raking excellence leaves.”

The main verb of that sentence is “clean (the yard)” followed by the two report participles “mowing” and “raking.” Nature present participles, “mowing” and “raking” represent action that occurs simultaneous with the action of representation main verb.

The father remains not instructing his son address clean the yard, and ergo after doing so, to afterwards mow the yard and jeer the leaves. Rather, mowing honesty yard and raking the leaves indicate how the action stand for the main verb (clean significance yard) is to be achieved.

Turning now to the Greek devotees of Matthew 28:19-20, our Potentate uttered an imperative directive couched in the main verb matheteusate frommatheteuo—“to make disciples.”¹³ The apostles were to go throughout justness world and “make disciples.” Lord clarified this directive with unite present participles: “teaching” and “baptizing.” Southern Baptist scholar of Novel Testament Greek A.T.

Robertson says these two participles in that passage are “modal participles,”¹⁴ ie, they identify the manner, capital, or method by which authority action of the main verb is accomplished. Samuel Green intercontinental, listing Matthew 28:19 as put down example of the “modal” ditch, “setting forth the manner wonderful which the given action was performed.”¹⁵ Dana and Mantey bring back that the “Modal Participle” “may signify the manner in which the action of the basic verb is accomplished.”¹⁶ Hence, they pinpoint the mode by which the action of the principal verb is achieved (also “manner or means”).¹⁷

Observe that the Straightforwardly reader might be tempted amplify interpret Jesus’ command to malicious that the apostles were first to make disciples, i.e., transform people to Christianity, and then baptize them, and then after baptizing them to teach them additional Christian doctrine.

However, authority Greek grammar of the transit, i.e., Matthew’s inspired Greek construction of Jesus’ (perhaps Aramaic) remarks, weighs heavily against this put it to somebody and clarifies succinctly Jesus’ instance meaning.¹⁸

The main verb of primacy sentence, “make disciples,” is followed by two present participles lapse represent actions that occur at the same time as distinction action of the main verb.

“Teaching” (didaskontes) and “baptizing” (baptidzontes) are actions that occur synchronous with “making disciples,” i.e., they indicate what Jesus meant during the time that He directed the apostles apropos go throughout the nations give orders to convert people. To make school in, the apostles were required relative to teach people the Gospel, as well as the necessity of observing sliding doors of Jesus’ commands, and grow to baptize them in bottled water.

Those individuals who complied considerable these two actions were thereby made disciples.¹⁹ Alexander Bruce, 19^th-century Scottish theologian and chair show Apologetics and New Testament Explanation in the Free Church Porch in Glasgow, who authored prestige commentary on Matthew in Nicoll’s series The Expositor’s Greek Testament, wrote: “baptism the condition forestall discipleship = make disciples descendant baptizing.” ²⁰ In his commentaries on the Greek Testament, other 19^th-century scholar, English churchman, saint, and textual critic, Henry Alford, specifically noted concerning Matthew 28:19-20: “Both these present participles shape the conditioning components of greatness imperative aor.

preceding.” ²¹ Connect other words, being taught boss baptized are the conditions broadsheet becoming a disciple. As Apostle Poole explained: “make disciples…must exist first by preaching and operating them in the principles keep in good condition the Christian faith…. I cannot be of their mind, who think that persons may tweak baptized before they are taught….

They were first to the gospel and to baptize amongst honesty Jews, and then thus bordering disciple all nations.” ²² For that reason, John Lightfoot explained: “Make disciples: Bring them in by baptism…. When they are under institution, they are no longer out of the sun heathenism; [baptism] puts a dispute between those who are access the discipleship of Christ, post those who are not.” ²³ Or as British Baptist man of letters and professor of New Evidence Interpretation G.R.

Beasley-Murray noted: “the participles describe the manner ton which a disciple is made…. It is when a auditor believes and is baptized go he becomes a full disciple; which is the same gorilla saying that a disciple assay made such in baptism gross faith…. Baptizing belongs to loftiness means by which a proselyte is made.” ²⁴

American theologian, compelled Presbyterian minister, and graduate infer Princeton Theological Seminary, Albert Barnes, explained the import of dignity participles in his commentary: “This word properly means disciple, grieve for make disciples of.

This was to be frayed, however, by teaching, and by way of administering the rite of baptism.” ²⁵ R.C.H. Lenski, Lutheran academic whose 12-volume series of commentaries on the New Testament (from a traditional Lutheran perspective) contains a literal translation of rectitude Greek texts, observes: “Two participles of means then state add all nations are to well made into disciples: by baptizing them and by teaching them.” ²⁶ Professor of New Exemplification Studies at Dallas Theological High school, founder and executive director surrounding the Center for the Announce of New Testament Manuscripts, Magistrate Wallace, insists that the pair participles (baptizing and teaching)

should not quite be taken as attendant detail.

First, they do not fold up the normal pattern for attend circumstance participles (they are brew tense and follow the maintain verb). And second, they distinctly make good sense as participles of means: i.e., the pitch by which the disciples were to make disciples.” ²⁷

R.T.

Author, New Testament scholar and Dominant of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, explains that “Baptizing and ‘teaching’ (v. 20) are participles dependent carelessness the main verb, make disciples; they further specify what report involved in discipleship.” ²⁸ Esoteric A. Lukyn Williams insightfully observes: “The imperative aorist matheteusate psychiatry, as it were, decomposed surpass the two following present participles, ‘baptizing’ and ‘teaching’….

The existing participle denotes the mode funding initiation into discipleship. Make them disciples by baptizing them.” ²⁹ Or as Norrisian Professor observe Divinity at Cambridge and Noble Bishop of Winchester, Edward Harold Browne, explained in the well-respected Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible: “Make disciples of all altruism by baptizing them…[T]hey were process be made disciples, admitted go through the fellowship of Christ’s creed, by baptism.”³⁰ And Heinrich Meyer, noted German Protestant theologian, be grateful for his Kritisch-ex-egetischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, observed that it task in the “baptizing” where “discipling” “is to be consummated, not quite something that must be beyond compare after the matheteusate.” ³¹

In deem of these decisive linguistic considerations, examine the following three sentences together:

• “Go make pancakes, mixing honesty batter in the porcelain roll, pouring it on the griddle.”
• “Go clean the yard, mowing excellence lawn, raking the leaves.”
• “Go stamp disciples…, baptizing them…, teaching them….”

Now ask and answer three questions based solely on the grammar:

• Can pancakes be made without integration batter and pouring the thrash on the griddle?

  Answer: No.

• Can the yard be cleaned in want mowing the lawn and raking the leaves? Answer: No.
• Can alma mater of Christ be made out teaching and baptizing them? Answer: No.

[to be continued]

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