1. In Mt. 19:28: ἐν τῇ
παλιγγενεσίᾳ, the use of παλιγγενεσία is in full agreement with
that of Philo and Josephus. The Jewish faith in the resurrection of the dead
and the renewal of the world is clothed in this term. The parallel saying in
Lk. 22:30 has ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ μου. In Mk. 10:30 and Lk. 18:30 the phrase ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τῷ ἐρχομένῳ has the same meaning. The Stoic usage
obviously stands behind this Jewish or Jewish Christian expression, but in the
sense of Jewish and Christian eschatology. There is no influence of the
Mysteries.
2. Tt. 3:5: διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως
πνεύματος ἁγίου. Here παλιγγενεσία is the result of baptism and parallel to ἀνακαίνωσις. It does not mean only
attainment to a new life with the end of the old life, nor does it mean only
moral renewal; it embraces both. The former, however, is the more important, as
shown by ἔσωσεν and
κληρονόμου (v. 7). The idea is
basically eschatological, though moral renewal is included. No moral change is
denoted, for the epistle demands of the regenerate that they should deny
ungodliness and worldly lusts. The grace of God is ethically efficacious by way
of instruction, i.e., by personal fellowship, and not magically by material
means. There is no thought of παλιγγενεσία by
magical incantation (Corp. Herm., XIII, 1, 1) in Tt. 3:5. The term is rather to
be explained as a further Christian development of the Jewish form of the Stoic
concept. Derivation from the Mysteries would presuppose its earlier use in the
Mysteries, which cannot be shown. On the other hand, Mt. 19:28 proves with
absolute clarity that the cosmic Stoic view of regeneration came into early
Christianity by way of Judaism. And Cic. Att., 6, 6 (→ 687) shows that we do
not have to go to the Mysteries for the term; it had long since been used by
the educated. Obviously we cannot exclude the possibility that the usage of the
Mysteries also lies behind λουτρὸν
παλιγγενεσίας; its true home, however, is
in Stoicism. (Friedrich Büchsel, “Γίνομαι, Γένεσις, Γένος, Γένημα, Ἀπογίνομαι,
Παλιγγενεσία,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed.
Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, 10 vols. [Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1964–], 1:688–689)
R. 12:2: → μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ → νοός,
refers to the renewal of thought and will which Christians constantly need if
they are to show by their moral conduct that they belong to the new aeon and
are members of the new humanity (cf. Col. 3:10, → 452). The subj. of this
inward renewal, which affects the centre of personal life, is the Spirit of God
(R. 8:9–13, cf. 1 C. 12:13) who dwells and works in the Christian. The saying
in Tt. 3:5: ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ → λουτροῦ → παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως πνεύματος
ἁγίου, refers to the unique and basic beginning which the Spirit makes in man
at baptism. Without any human co-operation there arises in baptism the καινὴ
κτίσις (2 C. 5:17, → 449) by the miracle of renewal through the Holy Spirit,
who created a life that was not there before (→ 447 f.; 449). (Johannes Behm,
“Καινός, Καινότης, Ἀνακαινίξω, Ἀνακαινόω, Ἀνακαίνωσις, Ἐγκαινίζω,” in Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley,
and Gerhard Friedrich, 10 vols. [Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1964–], 3:453.)
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