Louisville Process Theology Network

Timothy Luke Johnson on The Meaning of Faith

Apr 22, 2009

From Lecture Eight of the audio course about ?“The Apostle Paul?” by Luke Timothy Johnson.



?“A very important dispute among scholars today concerns the translation of the Greek phrase ?‘pistis Christou?’ (as used by Paul in ?‘Galatians?’ 2.16, 20, 3.22). Virtually all traditional translations mistranslate the phrase as ?‘Christians?’ faith in Christ?’ ?– meaning their own particular faith is what puts them is right relationship with God.

A growing minority of scholars today argues that the correct translation should be ?‘Christ?’s faith?’ ?– meaning that the faith of the human person Jesus in God puts all people, including both Christians and Jews, in the right relationship with God ?…

It is the response of faith (?‘pistis?’ ?– meaning trust, obedience, and responsiveness) that establishes humans in right relationships as shown by Abraham?’s faith in God even when he was still a gentile ?…

God has gifted humans with the power to respond with faith through the faithful obedience of God?’s son; Jesus ?… The power to respond with faith as Jesus did is given by the Holy Spirit. God?’s plan in history is to reconcile Jews and gentiles through the principle of faith.

Christians can act among themselves with righteousness by transforming their mind and ?‘putting on the Lord Jesus.?’ They demonstrate this transformed mind by the quality of their lives. Above all, they demonstrate it by mutual love.?”





About the Greek Language ?– The word ?“Christou?” is the genitive case of ?“Christos.?” Greek is an inflected language like German and Latin, but unlike English. Nouns have case endings in inflected languages.

If I wanted to use the word ?“Christ?” as the subject of a sentence, I would use the Greek word ?“Christos?”; which is the nominative case. ?“Christou?” usually means ?“of Christ?” or ?“from Christ.?” So, ?“pistis Christou?” would be ?“faith of Christ?” or ?“Christ?’s faithfulness?” in English.

To translate ?“pistis Christou?” as ?“faith in Christ?” is to translate the phrase in a way that goes against the most common translation of the genitive case.