Comment: The last clause of this text was poorly
translated in most versions, "and calleth those things which be not as
though they were." The Greek phrase ως οντα means "with a view to
being" (cf. ως BDAG, pg. 1106, def. 9), or "until being" (cf. BDAG, def. 8
and BLASS §455.3). The NET Bible footnotes indicate this possibility:
"30tn
Or “calls into existence the things that do not exist.” The translation of
ὡς ὄντα (Jw" onta)
allows for two different interpretations. If it has the force of result,
then creatio ex nihilo is in view and the variant rendering is to be
accepted (so C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:244). A problem with
this view [which is hardly a reason for making God a liar] is the
scarcity of ὡς plus participle to indicate result (though for the telic idea
with ὡς plus participle, cf. Rom 15:15; 1 Thess 2:4). If it has a
comparative force [no it does not have to as this note already admits],
then the translation given in the text is to be accepted: “this
interpretation fits the immediate context better than a reference to
God’s creative power, for it explains the assurance with which God can speak
of the ‘many nations’ that will be descended from Abraham [on the
contrary, it makes God a liar to translate it that way, and makes perfect
contextual sense to translate it the other way.]” (D. Moo, Romans
[NICNT], 282; so also W. Sanday and A. C. Headlam, Romans [ICC],
113). Further, this view is in line with a Pauline idiom, viz., verb
followed by ὡς plus participle (of the same verb or, in certain contexts,
its antonym) to compare present reality with what is not a present reality
(cf. 1 Cor 4:7; 5:3; 7:29, 30 (three times), 31; Col 2:20 [similarly, 2 Cor
6:9, 10]) [But these texts fail to support the thesis that the Pauline
idiom is heavily weighted this way, and none of them make anyone or anything
a liar unless it really is a liar. ]." (bible.org,
my []).
Comment: Now that we gotten all the linguistic evidence
out of the way. That last clause does not mean that God calls things
that are not as though they are. That's the very definition of a lie.
It is talking about the resurrection. God calls [to life] those who do
not exist so that the can be [live again]. Incidentally, the correct
rendition of this text destroys the idea that the dead go into conscious
fellowship. The text agrees with the sleep of the dead, i.e. that the
soul does not "exist" while dead. Nor is it taking this text in
context to lift the mistranslation out and make it a general principle for
the imputation of a legalistic righteousness that does not really exist in
the person. (DLC: torahtimes.org)
composed:
5/10/09.
Daniel's Literal Translation and Commentary:
(http://www.torahtimes.org/translation/rom0417.html)