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An Exegetical Analysis of 1 Thessalonians 4:3: The Nature of Sanctification as God’s Will
This exegetical study of An Exegetical Analysis of 1 Thessalonians 4:3: The Nature of Sanctification as God’s Will is based on a b-greek discussion from Tue Dec 21 20:15:28 EST 1999. The initial inquiry focused on the grammatical function of the phrase ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ἡμῶν in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, specifically whether it modifies θεοῦ (“God, the one who is your sanctification…”) or θέλημα (God’s will). Various English translations, including the KJV, NIV, NASB, and NRSV, were cited, all of which appear to interpret ὁ ἁγιασμὸς as defining “will” rather than “God,” prompting the question of whether this reflects a misunderstanding of the Greek text or the English renditions.
The central exegetical issue revolves around the precise grammatical relationship of the nominative masculine noun phrase ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ἡμῶν (or ὑμῶν in some textual traditions) to the preceding nominative neuter noun θέλημα and the genitive noun τοῦ θεοῦ, as well as its connection to the subsequent infinitive clause ἀπέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πορνείας. Determining whether ὁ ἁγιασμὸς stands in apposition to θέλημα, thereby clarifying the content of God’s will, or if it has another syntactic role, is crucial for accurate interpretation and translation.
Greek text (Nestle 1904)
τοῦτο γὰρ ἔστιν θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ἡμῶν, ἀπέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πορνείας.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- Nestle 1904 reads ἡμῶν (our) in ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ἡμῶν, while SBLGNT 2010 (and NA28/UBS5) reads ὑμῶν (your).
Textual criticism (NA28), lexical notes (KITTEL, BDAG):
The primary textual variant in 1 Thessalonians 4:3 concerns the pronoun in the phrase ὁ ἁγιασμὸς, with some manuscripts reading ἡμῶν (our) and others ὑμῶν (your). The Nestle-Aland 28th edition (NA28) and the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (UBS5) adopt ὑμῶν, assigning it an ‘A’ grade, indicating a high degree of certainty for this reading. This decision is supported by strong and diverse manuscript evidence, suggesting that ὑμῶν is the original reading. The implications for translation are minor, as both “our” and “your” sanctification would refer to the sanctification of the Thessalonian believers. However, the reading ὑμῶν directly addresses the recipients, making the exhortation more personal and immediate.
Lexically, several terms are significant for understanding this verse:
- θέλημα (thelema): According to BDAG, this noun refers to “that which is willed or desired,” encompassing both the act of willing and the content of what is willed. In theological contexts, it often denotes God’s divine purpose or decree. KITTEL (TDNT) emphasizes θέλημα as the expression of God’s sovereign will and intention for humanity, particularly in the context of salvation and ethical conduct.
- ἁγιασμός (hagiasmos): BDAG defines ἁγιασμός as “the process of making holy or consecrating” or “the state of being holy.” It signifies separation for God’s purposes and growth in moral purity. KITTEL (TDNT) elaborates that ἁγιασμός involves both an initial act of setting apart (positional sanctification) and a continuous process of moral transformation (progressive sanctification), leading to a life consecrated to God.
- πορνεία (porneia): This term, as per BDAG, denotes “unlawful sexual intercourse,” covering a broad spectrum of illicit sexual acts including fornication, prostitution, and sometimes adultery. KITTEL (TDNT) highlights that in biblical usage, πορνεία often stands in contrast to the holiness expected of God’s people, representing a fundamental violation of divine sexual ethics.
Translation Variants
The grammatical structure of 1 Thessalonians 4:3 presents an instance of apposition. The initial clause, τοῦτο γὰρ ἔστιν θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ (for this is the will of God), introduces the main topic. The phrase ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ὑμῶν (your sanctification) immediately follows, in the nominative case, serving to clarify or specify what “this” (τοῦτο) and “the will of God” (θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ) entail. Although τοῦτο is neuter and ἁγιασμὸς is masculine, this lack of strict gender agreement in predicative/appositional constructions with εἰμί (to be) is common in Koine Greek, as noted by scholars like Robertson (p. 411), where the neuter τοῦτο ἔστιν can refer to a predicate of any gender or number.
The subsequent infinitive clause, ἀπέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πορνείας (that you abstain from sexual immorality), further defines the content of this sanctification. It functions epexegetically, explaining the specific practical outworking of “your sanctification.” Thus, “your sanctification” is not merely a state but an active process characterized by moral abstinence.
Analyzing the provided English translations:
- KJV: “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.” This translation clearly takes “your sanctification” as an appositive to “the will of God,” using “even” to emphasize the clarification. The subsequent “that ye should abstain” directly specifies what this sanctification entails.
- NIV: “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.” The NIV rephrases the apposition as a direct statement of purpose, making “that you should be sanctified” the content of God’s will, with the second “that” clause further explaining the nature of that sanctification.
- NASB: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” The NASB renders “your sanctification” as a direct appositive, separated by a semicolon, and then explicitly states “that is” before the infinitive clause, making the exegetical relationship very clear.
- NRSV: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication.” Similar to the NASB, the NRSV uses a colon to link “your sanctification” directly to “the will of God” as its content, followed by the specific action of abstaining.
All these translations correctly understand ὁ ἁγιασμὸς as defining God’s will, rather than God Himself. The grammatical evidence, particularly the nominative case of ἁγιασμὸς contrasting with the genitive of τοῦ θεοῦ, strongly supports its appositional relationship to θέλημα. The infinitive clause then specifies the primary ethical component of this sanctification.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
Based on the textual and grammatical analysis, the phrase ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ὑμῶν (your sanctification) functions as an appositive, clarifying the nature and content of “God’s will” (θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ). The subsequent infinitive clause, ἀπέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πορνείας (that you abstain from sexual immorality), provides a concrete example and primary expression of this sanctification. The NA28/SBLGNT reading of ὑμῶν (your) underscores the personal and direct application of this command to the Thessalonian believers.
Here are three suggested translations, emphasizing different nuances:
- “For this is God’s will: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality.”
This translation maintains a direct appositional structure, clearly presenting sanctification as the content of God’s will, which is then elaborated by the specific act of abstaining. - “Indeed, God’s purpose is your sanctification, namely, that you keep yourselves from sexual immorality.”
This rendering uses “God’s purpose” for θέλημα and “namely” to explicitly link sanctification to the practical command, conveying both the divine intention and its ethical manifestation. - “For God’s will, your very holiness, is for you to refrain from all sexual immorality.”
This translation emphasizes the quality of “holiness” inherent in ἁγιασμός and uses a more dynamic phrase “for you to refrain” for the infinitive construction, highlighting the active participation required of the believers.
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