Greek/Galatians 3:28

From Neoredemptive

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

Contents 1 Context 2 Greek Text 3 Key Words and Phrases 4 Interpretation

Context

Greek Text

All textual variants agree on the content of this verse. Textus receptus is not considered.

28 ουκ ενι ιουδαιος ουδε ελλην ουκ ενι δουλος ουδε ελευθερος ουκ ενι αρσεν και θηλυ παντες γαρ υμεις εις εστε εν χριστω ιησου

Key Words and Phrases

• ... (male and female) ...

Interpretation

This text is so tantilizing for egalitarian authors and thinkers that they can seldom resist the urge to cite it.

Following the example of Paul, Women, and Wives, we first consider the fullest possible meaning of this text and promptly reject it because of its incompatibility with other scriptures. If "there is neither" indicates an abolition of all theonomic distinctions (that is, all distinctions with respect to God's law, work, and grace), this is inconsistent with Paul's clear identification of homosexual behavior as sinful and Paul's particular concern with ethnic Israel in Romans. If it indicates a complete abolition of role distinctions, then we must account for Paul's failure to homogenize his instructions to masters and slaves, for Jesus' exclusion of women from the twelve, for the old testament exclusion of women from the priesthood (OT ceremonial law prefigures Christ), and for ...

Keener also points out that "male and female" could echo the "male and female He created them" of Genesis 2 (as the text distinctly does not "male nor female"), but this seems unlikely, as it would imply that Paul is refuting or negating Torah rather than interpreting it ("contrary to what Genesis said, there is no 'male and female' to our creation").