Archibald Thomas Robertson, better known as A.T. Robertson, born 1863
and died in 1934, was "distinguished" professor of New Testament Interpretation
at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He succeeded
John A. Broadus to that position. His most extensive work was in the field of New
Testament Greek. He spent 26 years preparing A Grammar of New Testament
Greek In The Light Of Historical Research. It consists of 1454 pages of detailed
analysis of New Testament Greek, and remains the most exhaustive Greek grammar
written. It is a massive volume and though dated, it continues to be a useful resource.
Professor Robertson knew a lot about the language of the New Testament, but his
scholarship is sometimes marred by his Baptist theology.
He was the author of a six volume set of books titled Word Pictures in the New
Testament. Overall it is a useful set, but he makes a few blunders that raise the hair
on the head. When he gets to Acts 2:38 he cannot refuse to allow his theology to
override his scholarship. A. T. Robertson knew as well as any man alive what the
Holy Spirit through Peter meant when he told the Jews to "Repent and be immersed
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ into the forgiveness of your sins, and you
will receive the gift o f the Holy Spirit." Regarding the words (eis aphesin ton
hamartion humon) he says, "In themselves the words can express aim or purpose..."
(volume 3, page 35) On the next page he says, in defiance of the Holy Spirit, "My view
is decidedly against the idea that Peter, Paul, or any one in the New Testament taught
baptism as essential to the remission of sins or the means of securing such remission.
So I understand Peter to be urging baptism on each of them who had already turned
(repented) and for it to be done in the name of Jesus Christ on the basis of the
forgiveness of sins which they had already received."
So, according to the professor, they had already received forgiveness before
they were immersed. But, he doesn't prove his "view." He asserts but gives no proof.
This is not typical A.T. Robertson. In his massive grammar of New Testament Greek
he generally lays out his case in a meticulous technical fashion. Yet in his Word
Pictures when he addresses many of the texts that relate to salvation and immersion,
he lays out his case in a ridiculous denominational fashion.
One simple point will expose the "view' of professor Robertson not only to be
religiously biased but also fatally wrong. If the Jews "had already received"
forgiveness before they were immersed, they had received the same forgiveness
before they changed, because the Holy Spirit made the relationship between the
change of heart and immersion equal in securing forgiveness through the blood of
Christ. Peter's command was "repent and be immersed." There is no way to
disjoin what God joined! Since "Godly sorrow works repentance into/to salvation,"
how can one be saved before he repents? (2 Corinthians 7:10; cf. Acts 11:19)
Likewise, since a person is to "be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ into the
forgiveness of sins," how can one be saved before he is immersed? (1 Peter 3:21)
It is not the blunder of Peter, Paul, or the Holy Spirit. It is a Greek professor's
blunder.
R. Daly
Copyright 2013
and died in 1934, was "distinguished" professor of New Testament Interpretation
at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He succeeded
John A. Broadus to that position. His most extensive work was in the field of New
Testament Greek. He spent 26 years preparing A Grammar of New Testament
Greek In The Light Of Historical Research. It consists of 1454 pages of detailed
analysis of New Testament Greek, and remains the most exhaustive Greek grammar
written. It is a massive volume and though dated, it continues to be a useful resource.
Professor Robertson knew a lot about the language of the New Testament, but his
scholarship is sometimes marred by his Baptist theology.
He was the author of a six volume set of books titled Word Pictures in the New
Testament. Overall it is a useful set, but he makes a few blunders that raise the hair
on the head. When he gets to Acts 2:38 he cannot refuse to allow his theology to
override his scholarship. A. T. Robertson knew as well as any man alive what the
Holy Spirit through Peter meant when he told the Jews to "Repent and be immersed
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ into the forgiveness of your sins, and you
will receive the gift o f the Holy Spirit." Regarding the words (eis aphesin ton
hamartion humon) he says, "In themselves the words can express aim or purpose..."
(volume 3, page 35) On the next page he says, in defiance of the Holy Spirit, "My view
is decidedly against the idea that Peter, Paul, or any one in the New Testament taught
baptism as essential to the remission of sins or the means of securing such remission.
So I understand Peter to be urging baptism on each of them who had already turned
(repented) and for it to be done in the name of Jesus Christ on the basis of the
forgiveness of sins which they had already received."
So, according to the professor, they had already received forgiveness before
they were immersed. But, he doesn't prove his "view." He asserts but gives no proof.
This is not typical A.T. Robertson. In his massive grammar of New Testament Greek
he generally lays out his case in a meticulous technical fashion. Yet in his Word
Pictures when he addresses many of the texts that relate to salvation and immersion,
he lays out his case in a ridiculous denominational fashion.
One simple point will expose the "view' of professor Robertson not only to be
religiously biased but also fatally wrong. If the Jews "had already received"
forgiveness before they were immersed, they had received the same forgiveness
before they changed, because the Holy Spirit made the relationship between the
change of heart and immersion equal in securing forgiveness through the blood of
Christ. Peter's command was "repent and be immersed." There is no way to
disjoin what God joined! Since "Godly sorrow works repentance into/to salvation,"
how can one be saved before he repents? (2 Corinthians 7:10; cf. Acts 11:19)
Likewise, since a person is to "be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ into the
forgiveness of sins," how can one be saved before he is immersed? (1 Peter 3:21)
It is not the blunder of Peter, Paul, or the Holy Spirit. It is a Greek professor's
blunder.
R. Daly
Copyright 2013
He also concedes his theology trumping his scholarship on page 389
ReplyDelete"After all is done, instances remain where syntax cannot say the last word, where theological bias will inevitably determine how one interprets the Greek idiom. Take udati in Ac. 1:5, for instance. In itself the word can be either locative or instrumental with baptizo. So in Ac. 2:38 eis does not of itself express design (see Mt. 10:41), but it may be so used. When the grammarian has finished, the theologian steps in, and sometimes before the grammarian is through."
Also on page 595 he says it is 'no doubt' that the eis in Matthew 26:28 denotes aim or purpose but says the interpreter not the grammarian should decide concerning Acts 2:38, although the same language is used...
I got his grammar free in a pdf file! It is great for citing because I am not using it enough at the moment to require a hardback copy. Thank you for the blog beloved cousin!
You are correct in your assessment of Robertson's theological slant.
ReplyDeleteHe obviously KNEW better, but sectarian theology wouldn't let him DO
better. This is often true with the works of human beings. Normally
great resources can render themselves almost useless when they are
do not deal honestly with the facts.
I appreciate your knowledge and your love for the language of the N.T.
Much love to you couz!