“All Things Are Possible Unto Thee”

πάντα δυνατά σοι (Mk. 14:36) The Intersection of the mind of Christ and traditional theology.

In English that phrase is translated as “…all things are possible unto thee…”

First point – the affirmation of what Jesus believed about the Father’s power. The power to unilaterally interact in the immediacy of our situation irrespective of its state. That does not mean that Jesus believed that unilateral interposition of His will means that God can be solicited to do either the morally or physically incoherent.

Second point – The phrase is equivalent to “omnipotent” with the same restrictions as above. It is simply equivalent. But where theology has been radicalized by either ancient Greek philosophy (at the level of those who make “confessional statements”) the phrase has been abused (or tortured) in being an absolute in the abstract, unmitigated by any of the other attributes of the Godhead or is qualified by an ontological connection to the created universe.

The take home point is – Consider that it was Jesus who said those words.

3 thoughts on ““All Things Are Possible Unto Thee”

  1. Tom Torbeyns February 28, 2016 / 9:06 pm

    God can also do morally wrong I would say to this article. (He chooses not to.)

    Like

    • wstaylor711 February 28, 2016 / 9:19 pm

      The possibility of choosing absolute self interest excluding any thought for those He has created is of course possible, but after an eternity of voluntary benevolence, it is only a remote possibility

      Liked by 1 person

      • Tom Torbeyns February 28, 2016 / 9:49 pm

        I think that hold merit and seems to be in accordance with the ancient Jewish way of understanding God to be faithful, good, loving,… according to Fisher. 🙂

        Like

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