On the "Bondage of the Will", John Piper invents his own definition of the meaning of Greek, to suit his "theology", rather than say what it honestly does say! Remaking on Romans 3:19, "and the whole world may be held accountable to God", he says of the word "accountable": (
The Bondage of the Will, the Sovereignty of Grace, and the Glory of God)
"The word “accountable” (Greek
hupodikos) means “under the sentence of condemnation.” Or we could say, in bondage, imprisoned, awaiting the sentence of execution. And it
is execution — that is, the outpouring of God’s wrath on all sinners who do not repent. Paul had just said in
Romans 2:5 that those who do not repent “are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” Just like Jesus had said in
John 3:36, “Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” That is, everyone apart from faith is
under the wrath of God.
The Greek word "ὑπόδῐκος", does not, and is never used for "bondage, imprisoned" anywhere! Liddell and Scott in the Greek lexicon have it, "brought to trial or liable to be tried". J H Thayer, in his Greek lexicon, says, "liable to punishment from God, Rom_3:19". G Abbott-Smith, "brought to trial, answerable to". Moulton and Milligan, "answerable to,” “bring under the cognizance of,” rather than “guilty before,” as in Rom_3:19". Ardnt and Gingrich, "liable to judgment or punishment, answerable, accountable". Kittel, "ὑπόδικος here denotes more than a general unspecified liability to punishment but less than definitive condemnation.It describes the state of an accused person who cannot reply at the trial initiated against him because he has exhausted all possibilities of refuting the charge against him and averting the condemnation and its consequences which ineluctably follow."
Where did Piper get his meaning for "ὑπόδῐκος", as it is NOT from the Greek usage! It is shameful when so-called "evangelical" Christians misuse information to promote their own views. This shows that what they believe to be true, is in fact LIES, as they have to corrupt the meaning of words to "justify" what they think to be true!
Thanks.
