cabio

In Galatians 1:4, it says "that he might deliver us from this present evil world." Does this mean that today's Christians are incorrect in saying that Jesus will deliver them too?

Toto

Of course, today's Christians are incorrect if they try to read the NT as applying to them.

Paul thought that the end of the corrupt, evil world was imminent. But it's still here.

Paul was wrong. The Jesus portrayed in the gospels is a failed prophet.

Get over it.

cabio

But specifically concerning this passage...

Toto

How much more specific can I get? Paul was not speaking to the ages - he didn't think there would be people around for the next 2000 years.

If today's Christians think that Jesus will deliver them from CorruptWorld2008, they must have some other basis for thinking so. I don't know what that would be, but it's not Galatians.

cabio

Alright, what Paul believed in other accounts can be discussed in other places. Specifically concerning this verse though, I don't think he meant only for the people living during his time period.

The Greek word for world is aiōn, which is defined as "properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future): - age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end)." Therefore, it can be seen that a better translation would be "that he might deliver us from this present evil age" with age being a past, present, and future period of time. Therefore, it seems that Christian's are correct in saying that Paul's view, at least in this passage, is that Jesus died for present sinners as well as for the past.

Toto

Are you trying to say that when Paul referred to the "present" age he also meant all future ages? When did Paul think that the "age" would end?

Why do you think this verse can be read without taking anything else written at the time into account?

teamonger

Paul was clearly concerned about his own times, indeed thought that "time has grown very short" (1 Cor 7:29). Nearly all the NT writers had that same understanding.
t

cabio

All I am saying is that taken alone, the language used could include the present day, as well as Paul's day. Taken alone, there is no problem for modern day Christians.

If you want to consider other passages, that can be done.

Toto

Nothing is ever a problem for modern day Christians - certainly not logic or consistency or some coherent understanding of the world. Modern Christians read whatever they want to into the scriptures.

Doug Shaver

I agree. If no consideration is given to context, it can mean just about anything that anybody wants it to mean.

So what?