Contradiction between Paul and Peter Regarding God's Sovereignty

Dr. Couch, is there a contradiction between what Paul says in Acts 17:31 and what Peter says in 2 Peter 3:12, about God's sovereign plan in history, and our hastening the "coming day of God"? ANSWER:  Good question. And this is where only a student of the Greek text can give a definitive answer. The apostle Paul says God has a plan, "He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, ... raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31). God is in charge of when the day of judgment will come. It is an exact moment in His eternal decree of all things! But then the English in 2 Peter 3:12 reads: "... looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, ..." This sounds as if we can hasten the coming of the day of final judgment. Is this right?    No, it is not! Both "looking for" and "hastening" are Present Active Participles in the Greek text, but more, the word "hastening" is not a good translation in this context of the word speudo. The "looking for" is better translated "expecting" and the word "hastening" is better translated "earnestly desiring." As translated "hastening" it sounds as if we are causing the day of God to come quickly. Instead, the point is that we are "earnestly desiring" that it will arrive soon.    A problem like this is why I spent some 35 college and graduate hours in Greek, with some of the best Greek teachers in America, so that I could know exactly what the biblical text was saying! After I came to my conclusion I checked out the great old Greek scholar A. T. Robertson, and, he translates the verse the same way. We are not causing the coming of the day of God, we are anticipating its arrival!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (Oct., 09)

Acts 17: A Model for Witnessing

Dr. Couch, I have a question on Acts 17: 16-34 and Paul's sermon to the Epicureans and Stoics. Why did he not mention the fact of Christ dying on the cross? (However, he did mention the resurrection.) I thought Acts 17 was a model message as to how we are to witness? ANSWER:  I do not believe there is one model message for witnessing. Paul adjusted his message to those he was speaking with. He considered their understanding, the context of what he was saying, the argument he was having with the audience, etc.    You said Paul did not mention the crucifixion of Christ, but I believe he did. Note verse 18. Paul was "preaching Jesus and the resurrection." More than likely "preaching Jesus" would be a reference to His death on the cross, followed by the resurrection. Paul probably had limited time in his speech and that is why he focused on the resurrection. This is the greatest of all miracles—that one would come back from the dead! This really got their attention, and I believe Paul knew that it would! "When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, 'We shall hear you again concerning this'" (v. 32). Some got the message and "joined with him and believed" (v. 34).    By the way, you can't have the doctrine of Christ's resurrection without the teaching about His death, i.e., the death on the cross. It also must be remembered that Paul used the doctrine of the resurrection in order to capture their attention. There is no more powerful argument than that one came back from the dead! He then continued teaching the full account of Christ, "preaching Jesus" and all that He came to do.    You referred to 1 Corinthians 2:2 where Paul said that he "determined to know nothing among you [Corinthians] except Jesus, and Him crucified." Notice, that this was his message when he went to Corinth! I am sure he adjusted his messages to the audience, the time of his message, with an understanding of what they could absorb! It is wrong to assume that he left the crucifixion out of his sermons. I'm sure Paul knew what he was doing!    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (September 2009)