Review article
The opposites body/spirit in the Epistle to the Galatians
Lidija Gunjević
Abstract
The subject of this article is the contradiction sarx/pneuma
in the context of the epistle to the Galatians. That contradiction,
i.e. the inner confl ict of an individual, is presented through
the interpretations of Aurelius Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and
Martin Luther. They interpret sarx as an abstract anthropological
description of a Christian himself, who is in constant tension
between the spirit and body, between the old and new man, and
inner confl ict is inevitable throughout the whole life. Apart from
the interpretations of these biblicists, the work also gives interpretations
of some modern authors who describe the relation
between sarx and pneuma as theological summaries in Paul’s
interpretations of two communities of God’s people in Galatia.
They represaent two lifestyles in two different communities, one
community is spiritual and the other one is corporal. With such
interpretation of the body/spirit contradiction, modern biblicists
state that it is not an anthropological but eschatological expression,
and, by this, any relation to the negative moral behaviour
or spiritual confl ict disappears. Through the presentation of
different interpretations, conclusion of the issue is made on the
basis of the exegetic review to the epistle to the Galatians.
Keywords
epistle to the Galatians; sarx/pneuma; apostle Paul; grace; inner conflict; community of body; community of Spirit; salvation
Hrčak ID:
92053
URI
Publication date:
14.12.2007.
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