F
FrancesDS
Guest
I have a question. Anyone can reply but I would be interested in hearing from anyone who is familiar with the Greek New Testament.
I am discussing purgatory with some friends and we were discussing a verse in Hebrews that is a possible hint of the existence of a place of purification after death. Now I do not want this thread to become about purgatory, that is addressed elsewhere. I just want to focus on this one verse.
My question is, in Hebrews 12:23, in the statement regarding “the spirits of the just men made perfect”, what is the correct way to look at this?
Is this saying ‘the spirits of the just men’ have been ‘made perfect’ - so the spirits were made perfect?
Or is this saying ‘the spirits’ and then describing that these are the spirits ‘of just men who had been made perfect’ - so it was the men who had been made perfect at some point?
I think it is an important distinction. I was hoping maybe the Greek text could help if it gives any clue which noun the ‘made perfect’ is describing, is it describing the spirits or the men?
I didn’t know if it would help or not.
It seems that most places I have looked interpret this as the first option, that it is the spirits that were made perfect.
Any thoughts?
Thank you
Frances DS
I am discussing purgatory with some friends and we were discussing a verse in Hebrews that is a possible hint of the existence of a place of purification after death. Now I do not want this thread to become about purgatory, that is addressed elsewhere. I just want to focus on this one verse.
My question is, in Hebrews 12:23, in the statement regarding “the spirits of the just men made perfect”, what is the correct way to look at this?
Is this saying ‘the spirits of the just men’ have been ‘made perfect’ - so the spirits were made perfect?
Or is this saying ‘the spirits’ and then describing that these are the spirits ‘of just men who had been made perfect’ - so it was the men who had been made perfect at some point?
I think it is an important distinction. I was hoping maybe the Greek text could help if it gives any clue which noun the ‘made perfect’ is describing, is it describing the spirits or the men?
I didn’t know if it would help or not.
It seems that most places I have looked interpret this as the first option, that it is the spirits that were made perfect.
Any thoughts?
Thank you
Frances DS