# Robert Sungenis on "dikaioo"



## sotzo (Sep 5, 2007)

In the most recent issue of Modern Reformation the Roman Catholic scholar Robert Sungenis says:

"There is no passage we can point to that says definitively that the only meaning that can be applied to dikaioo is 'declared righteous'. There's no passage we have found in the New Testament that teaches that"

He the goes on to respond to Michael Horton's question, "So, dikaioo always means 'making' righteous rather than 'declaring' righteous?" with:

"Always, yes."

Is there a good response on this board or elsewhere to Sungenis on this matter?


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## MW (Sep 5, 2007)

One needs only to examine the use of the antithetical "condemn." If justify means to make righteous, then condemn means to make guilty; whereas it is clear that a judge justifies or condemns by pronouncing a man innocent or guilty, not by making him such.


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## py3ak (Sep 5, 2007)

Well, if that statement is true it means that the publicans made God righteous (Luke 7:29). Are we sure we want to go there?


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## sotzo (Sep 5, 2007)

py3ak said:


> Well, if that statement is true it means that the publicans made God righteous (Luke 7:29). Are we sure we want to go there?



Sungenis' response:

"Well, when we're talking abot a soteriological context, then we're talking about dikaioo meaning 'making righteous' rather than 'declaring righteous'. We're not talking about passages that apply the word diakaioo to God himself."


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## py3ak (Sep 5, 2007)

So then _dikaioo_ doesn not *always* mean to make righteous: another meaning is established. If that is true, then you have to have more than a lexical argument for maintaining that _dikaioo_ in a soteriological context means "to make righteous". I don't think we can let someone get away with asserting, "It means 'to make righteous' wherever that meaning fits my theology, but where it doesn't, well then obviously it means something else. But that doesn't change the fact that it means what I say where that suits me.'

And Mr. Winzer argument settles the point nicely. "Justified" and "condemned" are used in the same verse, in opposition.


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