2. The Meaning of Sanctification - Enter His Rest

Note again: “And having found certain disciples, he said to them.” Here the “having
found” is likewise the aorist participle. If we should translate that Paul said something to
the disciples when he found them, we should mean actually after he found them; for he
had to find them before he could say anything to them. The point insisted on here is that
the real meaning is the same in all these cases. Paul came to Ephesus after he passed
through the upper coasts. He spoke to the disciples after he found them, and these
disciples were asked whether they had received the Holy Ghost after they had believed.
To change the form of the question: Does the main verb (”did ye receive?”) refer to a
time after that of the participle (”having believed”) or co-incident with it? A. T.
Robertson, who was one of the foremost New Testament Greek scholars of our time,
taught New Testament Greek for many years and was familiar with the Papyri
Manuscripts which forced a rewriting of Greek grammar and a recasting of the exegesis
of the Greek New Testament. His famous and massive grammar of the Greek New
Testament was written in the light of the papyri discoveries and the Koine.
It is true that Dr. Robertson thought the time of the main verb here (”did you receive?”)
and of the participle (”having believed”) to be coincident, but in his crystal honesty he
gives us good reason to think otherwise. He says, “The antecedent use furnishes the
largest number of instances.” Here he means that in the majority of cases in the New
Testament the participle (”having believed”) refers to a time antecedent to the main verb
(”did ye receive?”) And he quotes from J. H. Moulton: “The participle naturally came to
involve past time relative to that of the main verb.” [57] Again quoting from Dr. Robertson:
“Antecedent action. This is the usual idiom with the circumstantial participle.
This is indeed the most common use of the aorist participle.” As examples he cites: Matt.
4:2; 27:3, 5; Mark 1:31; Col. 1:3-4; Acts 17:31; Heb. 1:3. The reader of Greek can easily
find the participles and verbs here. For the English reader, here is a hint as to how to find
them. Matthew 4:4 in the Greek reads “and having fasted . . . afterward he hungered.’
Examples of simultaneous action are given by Dr. Robertson as follows: Luke 5:4; Matt.
2:8; 22:1; 27:4; Acts 15:8. Scrutiny of these texts proves that the time of the main verb
and participle is identical. But some texts in the New Testament seem doubtful. How
shall one decide? Dr. Robertson says very candidly: “In many examples only exegesis can
determine whether antecedent or coincident action is intended as in Hebrews 9:12.” [58]
We praise the candor of a great Christian scholar who admits that the translator’s beliefs
must influence his translation at times. He also suggests that the decision involves a
question of judgment, and not some intricacy of the Greek language. James Moffatt,
another great Christian scholar, is equally candid and fair. He says in the introduction to
his translation of the Bible: “A real translation is in the main an interpretation.” [59]
And people who can read Greek prize Moffatt for his brilliant interpretations of familiar
texts.
Often these interpretations introduce ideas never heard of before in that connection. In the
“when” translation, however, we have an interpretation fully in harmony with the modern
Protestant church tradition that holds that the Holy Spirit baptism is received at the
instant of regeneration.
Nevertheless, this interpretation is at variance with the ancient Catholic tradition, which,
as could be shown by dozens of quotations, has always held that the gift of the Holy Spirit
is received after regeneration, that is, after baptism where baptism is believed to effect, or
at least coincide with, regeneration. Review the history of confirmation for evidence.
The point is conceded by The Expositor’s Greek Testament, which while it translates
“when” instead of “since” does admit that as disciples these men were real Christians
before receiving the Holy Ghost. “The question was whether they had received the Holy