Rush and Greek Syntax

Today in Greek Syntax we were discussing the different uses of the genitive case (exciting, huh?). It is actually very interesting how theology can be drastically different based on how one interprets the usage of a specific case. Today, we were discussing the subjective, objective, agency, and adjectival uses of the genitive and the phrase "dia pisteuws xristou" was used as an example. A substantive translation here would say "Jesus Christ's faithfulness" whereas an objective translation would say "faith in Jesus Christ." Paul uses this phrase all the time and you can see how different those two concepts are. There is lively scholarly debate on whether the objective interpretation, "faith in Christ" is correct, as this is what most all translations render in English.

Anyway, I said all of that to say this. Dr. Pennington was discussing how we sometimes try to avoid making tough interpretive decisions like this in our translation by going with the "literal" route (a phrase he hates), but in this context if you do the literal thing and say faith of Christ" you have still made an interpretive decision even if you didn't want to.

He then said,

"So, if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."

He then pumped out a few air guitar moves and threw up the heavy metal sign and yelled out "RUSH!" No one laughed but me.