ChristHaunted wrote:???? I read the bible in English, and think that the English translation should best reflect the underlying Greek meaning. Therefore, if a subtle nuance in definition of one English word fits the context better than a similar English word, why would we not want to use it?
I read the bible in Greek. I've read completely through all four gospels in Koine Greek half a dozen times or so. My point is that translation and interpretation are two different (although related) tasks.
I accept using 'appoint' as an English gloss for τασσω in this context. Yes, it's probably the better word to use since 'ordain' is somewhat archaic, but that is translation, and we are discussing interpretation. The question is not 'what can we make this verse mean?' but rather 'what is the author saying?'
Authors state things for a reason. Luke did not have to comment that 'επιστευσαν οσοι ησαν τεταγμενοι εις ζωην αιωνιον' --> 'as many as had been appointed into eternal life believed.' We must ask ourselves the question, "Why does Luke feel this is important to note?" No author includes every detail of a story, and the biblical writers are no exception. The things they chose to include and chose to leave out are significant.
I understand your point. The fact that God's grace was extended to Gentiles and not only Jews was a significant idea. However, Luke seems to be stressing more than just the fact that Gentiles believed. If that was his intention I would expect to read,
'when the Gentiles heard this they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.' or '
when the Gentiles heard this they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and they believed.' or '
when the Gentiles heard this they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and being appointed unto eternal life, they believed.'
Luke wrote something quite different though, with quite a different ring and emphasis to it, '
when the Gentiles heard this they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed unto eternal life believed.' The phrase rendered 'as many as' in modern English is the Greek word
οσοι, which is a fairly common Greek word. This word conveys a limiting idea, which can be rendered into English differently depending upon the context. In this context it is clear that it refers to the quantity of people that believed, and it equates that quantity with the number of people that had been 'appointed unto eternal life.' I think the meaning of the phrase hinges upon that one word, and also the fact that
ησαν τεταγμενοι is pluperfect passive, which means that the action of 'being appointed' preceded the action of believing, which implies a cause/effect relationship, especially when Luke adds that one word: 'as many as'.
Again, the verse clearly does
not express a general grace of God appointing Gentiles to eternal life, but rather a specific appointment to a specific number of people. You can call this predestination, or ektantikwalupo, it doesn't really matter. The idea seems very clearly expressed here. An argument can be made that this was an isolated instance, and that in
this instance God predestined certain ones to eternal life, but otherwise it is a
general appointment, but I haven't heard a good reason to believe that Luke is talking about a general appointing here.
Some may argue that God appointed them unto eternal life because they believed. That's fine if that is your belief, but this verse cannot be used to support that idea, because it clearly states that the appointment happened prior to their believing, and there is no mention of God 'foreseeing' their belief as a reason for appointing them. In fact that goes completely contrary to the basic force of the phrase.
I do want to hear a good argument, but we must stick with the Greek and it's meaning, not English. Referring to English is as relevant to the original meaning as referring to the Mandarin version of Acts 13:48 --> 外 邦 人 听 见 这 话 ， 就 欢 喜 了 ， 赞 美 神 的 道 ； 凡 预 定 得 永 生 的 人 都 信 了 。
Actually the Chinese rendering is interesting, it reads: "all that were determined to obtain eternal life beforehand, they all believed." I'm not yet fluent in Chinese, but this is a pretty straightforward phrase. The Chinese verb 'determined' is stronger in force than 'appoint'. It conveys the idea of being 'settled/fixed'. I think it more closely reflects the idea conveyed by Greek τασσω, but my point is that we must focus on the Greek, since English is just one of thousands of languages that the NT has been translated into, and carries no special authority, and neither do the English words used.
but I honestly can't see how this verse can be interpreted in any other way unless there is a desire to maintain a position that seems to go contrary to the verse.
I honestly don't know what to say to that. As if the Trinity is a multiple personality disorder??? Again.... 
