A Note on Themenos in 2 Corinthians 5:19

Abstract

Dr. Siegbert W. Becker examines the grammatical construction of θέμενος in 2 Corinthians 5:19 to defend the Lutheran doctrine of universal justification. He argues that the phrase ἦν…θέμενος must be understood as a periphrastic construction, despite the rarity of such usage with an aorist participle in Greek. Becker demonstrates that interpreting θέμενος as a circumstantial participle leads to theological and historical inconsistencies, such as suggesting that the apostolic commission predates the incarnation. He further explains that the tense of the participle must align with the main verb, and that the aorist participle θέμενος accurately reflects the discrete event of commissioning, unlike the ongoing nature of καταλλάσσων. Becker concludes that the periphrastic interpretation is grammatically sound and theologically consistent, reinforcing the view that God reconciled the world to Himself in Christ prior to the preaching of the Gospel. Abstract prepared by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).