What Law Does Loving Fulfill?
By Jonathan Mitchell
A Fresh Look at Rom. 13:8
I have just revised my rendering of Rom. 13:8b, and, I just changed the definite article from "the" to "this," which is a common meaning of the article. In this verse, given below, I have moved the more common rendering, of the last clause, into the parenthetical rendering.
Most translations render the Greek articular phrase 'ton heteron' in 8b, as, "another" (KJV; ESV; NRSV) or "the other" (DB Hart) or "his fellow man" (NIV; NWT).
However, this adjective, 'heteron' mainly means "different." It is commonly rendered "other," and something different is also something other. So I've included both words, as you will see. The phrase, following the participle "loving," is, in the Greek text, "the different law," in that order, and then is followed by the verb. This phrase is masculine, because the word "law" is masculine. It is legitimate to render this, "loving the other (different one)," and then just read "law" with the verb, "has fulfilled [the] Law." But what I am suggesting is keeping the article and the adjective with the word "law."
Here is the whole verse, so let the Spirit speak to you:
8. You folks are not to be continual debtors (or: Stop being in the habit of owing even one thing) to anyone, except to be constantly loving and accepting one another. You see, the person constantly loving and accepting has fulfilled this other, DIFFERENT Law [cf 8:2] (or: It follows that the one continually loving, urging toward reunion with, or fulling giving himself to, the different person, has made full and fulfilled [the] Law [or: = Torah] and custom).
In 8a, "one another" is the plural of Greek 'allos' (other), while in 8b we have 'heteros' (different one). We suggest that Paul is not saying, in 8b, that folks should just love a "different sort of person," but is speaking generally, simply speaking of, "the person constantly loving." The word "loving," here, is the present participle associated with the term "agape," and this can only be done when the Spirit of God, Who IS Agape, is operating through us.
This person, when thus "loving," has fulfilled the different law -- the law of the Spirit, the law of Love. Also, notice that in the more traditional rendering (the parenthetical, above) that there is no definite article before the word "law." I, like most others, inserted "[the]" as though it was potentially referring to the "Law of Moses." But, just keep in mind that if we use the word "the" with the adjective "different," as in my first rendering, "this," then there is no article before "law."
So, what is the DIFFERENT Law? We suggest that Paul told us, in Rom. 8:2,
"For the principle and law of, from, and which is, the spirit and attitude of 'The Life within Christ Jesus'
(or: For it follows that, this Law of Life's spirit, joined with [the] Anointing of Jesus;
or: For you see, the Spirit's law of the life centered in Christ Jesus;
or: because this principle and Law [= Torah] from the Breath-effect, which is the Life in union with [the] Anointed Jesus,) frees you away from the Law of the Sin and of the Death
(or: immediately set you [other MSS: me] at liberty from the principle of The Failure, or of The Missing of the target, and from the Death; exempts you from this Code involved with error and deviation from the goal, as well as from this Death; emancipated you from this law from the Mistake, and which is the Death)."
With these thoughts in mind, especially that we have been freed from "the Law," let us consider the context that follows vs. 8:
9. You see, the [Law, or Torah, says or prophesies] (or: Now the [situation used to be]):
"You will not continue committing adultery,"
"You will not continue committing murder,"
"You will not continue stealing,"
"You will not continue giving false witness or a false testimony,"
"You will not continue to over-desire (crave; covet; lust)." [Ex. 20:13-14; Deut. 5:17f]
And yet, since [there is] a certain, DIFFERENT implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within, and an inward directive, having a different nature), it continues being brought to a head, summed up and united again in this Word and Blueprint (or: thought; idea; transfer and input of Information that was conveying Meaning; Flow of Information that is a Pattern-forming Influence), namely,
"You WILL continue Loving your near one (participate with uniting and unambiguous acceptance with your associate or neighbor) as being (or: like) yourself," [Lev. 19:18]
10. THIS Love (or: the giving of oneself to another in an unambiguous drive toward reunion) is not habitually working [the] worthless (poor quality; base; bad; evil; harm) for (or: to; with) the near one (the associate; the neighbor). THIS Love (or: unambiguous Acceptance and Urge to Union) [is], therefore, that which fills a full measure of a Law (or: a result of a full inclusion, which is a principle; or: a fulfillment from [Torah]; or: [the] full totality of [the] Law). [cf 8:4; 13:8, above; Gal. 6:2]
Notice that vs. 9 opens with only the words "You see, the (or: Now the)" and then the quotes of the promises that follow. So I have inserted some potential ideas in order for this to make sense, in English. Next observe that our word "DIFFERENT" appears, describing the "implanted goal (etc.)." I then offer a variety of potential meanings of Logos (Word, etc.), which is followed by Paul's quote of Lev. 19:18. Just as Christ can be found in the OT, so can this Word which encapsulates what will become the DIFFERENT Law which Paul has disclosed to us.
You see, we Love because He first Loved us (1 Jn. 4:19). We have no need to fulfill the Torah, or, the Law of Moses. Christ did that, in loving the aggregate of humanity (Jn. 3:16), and in transforming us to be other than we were (2 Cor. 5:19). Now we have been enabled to fulfill Jesus' instruction, in Jn. 13:34,
"I am giving to you folks a new implanted goal (an inward purposed directive different from that which had been formerly; an impartation of a finished product and destiny that is new in kind and character): that you folks are to be continuously and progressively loving (or: should constantly accept, and give yourselves to,) one another, just as (correspondingly as; to the same level as; in the sphere as) I love, accept, and fully give Myself to, you folks so that you also may constantly (or: would habitually) love, accept, fully give yourselves to, and drive toward union with, one another."
"So at the present time trust (or: faith; loyalty; trustworthiness), expectation (or: expectant hope) [and] Love (unrestricted acceptance which overcomes existential separation - Tillich) - these three - continue remaining and habitually dwell [with us], yet the greatest of these [is] the Love ([God's] urge toward unambiguous, accepting reunion - Tillich; self-giving - Rohr). You folks make haste to progressively run after and continuously pursue this Love!" (1 Cor. 13:13)
Jonathan
PS: Upon reading this post, Dan Kaplan shared the following excerpts from 1 Jn. These verses shed light on Rom. 13:8b, and the "different" law:
"Yet whoever may be habitually keeping (attentively guarding to observe) His Word (Logos; Thought; Idea; message), truly (or: actually; in reality) within this person God's Love has been perfected and brought to its goal. In this we constantly know experientially that we continuously exist within the midst of Him, and in union with Him.... The person habitually loving (seeking accepting reunion with) his brother constantly abides (remains; dwells; = has his home) within and in union with the Light, and there exists no snare (trap-spring; stick upon which bait is put; = cause for stumbling) within him. (1 Jn. 2:5, 10)
"We ourselves have seen, and thus know (or: are aware), that we have walked together (or: proceeded to change, passing from) out of the Death into the Life, because we are habitually loving the brothers (= fellow believers; [some MSS: our brothers; {or: = our fellow human beings}]).... Within this we have come to know the Love (acceptance which drives to overcome estrangement and achieve reunion) by intimate experience: that That One placed (or: places; sets; deposited) His soul (the consciousness which is Him) over us. We ourselves are also constantly indebted (obligated) to place [our] souls (conscious beings) over the brothers (folks of the same womb: fellow humans; = [God's] family). (1 Jn. 3:14, 16)
"And this is His implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive of the end in mind): namely that we could, should and would be continuously believing, progressively trusting, and habitually faithful in and by the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and thus should be constantly loving (accepting; overcoming estrangement to) one another, precisely (or: correspondingly) as He gave [the] implanted goal (or: gives an impartation of the finished product within, with an inward directive of the purposed end and destiny) to us, for us and in us. And the person habitually watching to attentively keep His implanted goals continuously remains (dwells; abides; stays) within and in union with Him, and He Himself within and in union with him. And within this we are constantly coming to know by intimate experience and insight that He is continuously abiding (dwelling; remaining; staying) within us, and in union with us, from out of the Spirit (or: from the midst of, and through, the Breath-effect; forth from the attitude) which He gives (or: at one point gave) to us (or: in us). (1 Jn. 3:23-24)
"Beloved ones, we are can and should be continuously loving one another, because the Love (or: urge toward reunion and acceptance) exists continuously (or: is) from out of the midst of God. And so, everyone, who (or: all humanity, which) in continuously loving, has been born, and exists being a born-one, from out of the midst of God, and constantly experiences intimate knowledge of God (or: comes to know by experiences from God; gains knowledge and insight by the experience which is God). The one not habitually loving has not come to know God by intimate experience, because God continuously exists being Love (or: for God is Love and Acceptance).... Within this exists (or: is) the Love, not that we ourselves have loved God, but in contrast, that He Himself loves us and sends (or: urged toward reunion with us and sent) His Son as a Representative: a cleansing, sheltering covering around our sins (failures to hit the target, errors, mistakes, deviations). Beloved ones, since thus (or: in that manner) God loves us, we also are constantly indebted (or: under obligation) to habitually love and accept one another. No one has yet once gazed upon God as an object in a theater (as a public spectacle). If we are habitually loving (urging toward reunion, acceptance and participation in) one another, God constantly remains (dwells, abides) within us, and His Love (or: the Love, which is Him,) is existing having been brought to its goal and is now matured, perfected and has reached its destiny within us, and among us. (1 Jn. 4:7, 8, 10, 11, 12)
"Within this we are continually knowing by experience that we are constantly remaining (dwelling; abiding) within the midst of, and in union with, Him and He Himself within us, because He has given to us from out of His Breath-effect (or: Spirit; Attitude).... And we have come by intimate experience to know and have believed, trusted and are convinced of the Love which God has (or: holds) continuously within (or: among) us. God exists continually being Love (God is Love, which is Unrestricted Acceptance), and the person continuously remaining (dwelling; abiding) within, and in union with, the Love, is continuously remaining (dwelling; abiding) within, and in union with, God - and God constantly dwells (remains) within the midst of him and abides in union with him.... We ourselves are [some MSS add: now] habitually loving (or, as a subjunctive: can and should be constantly loving) because He Himself first loves (or: urged to reunion with) us. (1 Jn. 4:13, 16, 19)
"And we continuously hold (or: have) this implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward and purposed directive of destiny) from Him, to the end that the person continuously loving God can, should and would also habitually love (accept and drive toward reunion with) his brother (= his fellow believer, or his fellow human being). (1 Jn. 4:21) Everyone, who (All mankind, which) in continuously believing, constantly being convinced and progressively trusting that Jesus is (or: exists being) the Christ, has been brought to birth and is now a born-one (= is a child) from out of God. And everyone, who (or: all mankind, which) in continuously loving (urging toward reunion with) the One bearing and giving birth (the Parent), should and would also love (accept in unity) the person having been born (the child) out of Him." (1 Jn. 5:1)
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