Chapter 2:8 AUTOUS - Them

2.8 Baptizontes Nom Pl Masc Part Pres Active.

βαπτίζοντες

Participle:

A participle is a verbal adjective, more closely connected to (modifying) the subject, but connecting the subject with critical statements about actions surrounding the main verb in the sentence. For a fuller discussion on participles, see 9.1.2.5 THE PARTICIPLE.

Comment:

Here Jesus begins to detail the specific way(s) in which He intends for this discipling to take place. Here is the process

Case Nominative:

Nominative refers the reader back to the subject—You. This participle is directly modifying, or is associated closely with, the subject of the sentence—You.

Number: Plural.

Again this is consistent. The participle will agree with the noun to which it is modifying in gender, case and number. See Person: Second Person. for a discussion on number. This is plural in number, emphasizing the fact that Jesus looked at this as group effort, individuals as part of a group vs. individual lone ranger efforts.

Gender:

Masculine refers the reader back to the gender of the subject, and in this case determines the gender of the subject, namely masculine. This is consistent with the gender that is expressed by the previous participle Poreuthentes, which was also masculine in gender. For additional comments on gender see Gender comments above. Briefly, masculine gender denotes either masculine sex, or concrete elements (versus conceptual elements which are predominately described by the feminine gender).

Tense Present:

Present tense. For a comparison of present tense compared with aorist tense, see Aorist and Present Tenses compared. For a discussion of Tenses, see Tense. For a discussion of Tense Categories, see 9.1.2.3.2.1Tense Categories.

The Aorist tense is used in this text. See 9.1.2.3.2 and 9.1.2.3.2.1 Tense Categories and 9.1.2.3.2.3 Aorist Tense for discussions on the Aorist tense.

. Present tense indicates continuous kind of action, and may be denoted graphically by ( --------- ).

Voice Active:

Active voice. See Voice: Active voice for a discussion on active voice. Basically active voice views the subject a producing the action. This is in opposition to passive voice where the subject is being acted upon. In this case, the “You-pl” are actively discipling by “baptizing” (among other things like teaching which will become evident as we unpack this further). Jesus clearly sees His disciples actively involved in this matter of discipling. This is not some passive thing that is going to happen to His disciples through some magical power of the Holy Spirit or some other mysterious means.

Note on Baptism: The following from Dana & Mantey, p. 104 on baptism and unusual meanings for prepositions.

When one considers in Acts 2:38 repentance as self-renunciation and baptism as a public expression of self-surrender and self-dedication to Christ, which significance it certainly had in the first century, the expression ε̉ις ά̉φεσιν τω̃ν άμαρτιω̃ν ύμω̃ν may mean for the purpose of the remission of sins. But if one stresses baptism, without its early Christian import, as a ceremonial means of salvation, he does violence to Christianity as a whole, for one of its striking distinctions from Judaism and Paganism is that it is a religion of salvation by faith while all others teach salvation by works.

The sentence μετανόησεν είς τὸ κήρυγμα ̉Ιωνα̃ in Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32 is forceful evidence for a causal use of this preposition. What led to their repentance? Of course, it was Jonah’s preaching. Matthew 3:11 furnishes further evidence: ε̉γὼ μέν ύμας βαπτίζω ε̉ν ύ̉δατι ει̉ς μετανοίαν. Did John baptize that they might repent, or because of repentance? If the former, we have no further Scriptural confirmation of it. If the latter, his practice was confirmed and followed by the apostles, and is in full harmony with Christ’s demand for inward, genuine righteousness. In connection with this verse we have the testimony of a first-century writer to the effect that John the Baptist baptized people only after they had repented. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, book 18, chapter 5, section 2: “Who (John) was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing (with water) would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away of some sins, but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness.”[1]

Means:

To dip, to dye, to immerse; to cleanse or purify by washing; to administer the rite of baptism.

Translation:

Jesus speaking: Given that all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, therefore (now, by all means - emphatically) as you are going < ● > (or ‘while on your way through life…’ or ‘as you are proceeding in your chosen manner through life …’), I (as superior to a subordinate laying aside my authority to command you) appeal to you (and particularly to your will), it’s imperative that you actively disciple < ● > (train, acquire habits, disciple oneself) (How far or how many?) all the nations, (yes, I mean ALL the nations … and you can include the Jews in there as well) (and here’s the first step ) you-pl males among you-pl actively baptizing continuously < ---- >

1.2. Autous Accu Pl Masc Pronominal Adjective

αὐτοὺςNPAM3Pαὐτός

Pronominal adjective.

Reflexive: self[2] Intensive use[3] Substantive use.[4]

Note:

As a pronoun (pronominal adjective), autous must agree with its antecedent in person and number.

Question:

Q1. What is the antecedent of autous?

A1. It has to be masc plural? Or does it?

In it’s intensive use it (often) goes w/ the unexpressed subject of the verb (as is the case in this verse).[5]

Here are further uses of autos.[6] “In addition to its use as a personal pronoun of the third person, autos is also used as follows: (3) In its intensive use it often goes with pronouns or with the unexpressed subject of a verb.”

Per Dana & Mantey, p. 135, under §143 Indefinite Pronoun (5) Alternate Use (i). “Regularly pronouns take their grammatical form from a substantive antecedent expressed or understood. Sometimes, in stead of direct agreement with the grammatical form of an expressed antecedent, we have logical agreement, in some instances with actual or assumed sex, rather than grammatical gender (Matt 28:19)…”

This last explanation by Dana & Mantey is the only reasonable explanation of why the antecedent of autos is panta ta ethna, even though they don’t agree in gender. In this case outous is in agreement with the “assumed or actual” sex of the recipients of discipling and baptism.

Question:

Q1. If this applies to gender (sex), where does this leave women?

A1. Perhaps an answer can be found in I Tim 2:11-14 and similar scriptures?

Meaning:

Them, but specifically referring to the ‘males’ among the (or non gender specific neuter) nations as the focus of the baptizing.

Translation:

Jesus speaking: Given that all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, therefore (now, by all means - emphatically) as you are going < ● > (or ‘while on your way through life…’ or ‘as you are proceeding in your chosen manner through life …’), I (as superior to a subordinate laying aside my authority to command you) appeal to you (and particularly to your will), it’s imperative that you actively disciple < ● > (train, acquire habits, disciple oneself) (How far or how many?) all the nations, (yes, I mean ALL the nations … and you can include the Jews in there as well) (and here’s the first step ) you-pl males among you-pl actively baptizing continuously < ---- > focusing on the males among them (i.e., the gender neutral nations) …

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[1] Mantey, J.R. (June 1923). Expositor: “Unusual Meanings for Prepositions in the Greek New Testament.” London. As quoted in Dana & Mantey, p. 104.

[2] AGLR p. xi.

[3] Dana & Mantey p. 129

[4] Machen p53 §104.

[5] Dana & Mantey p 53.

[6] Machen p. 53.