# Served "more" than the Creator or "rather"?



## Afterthought (Feb 28, 2012)

Romans 1:25 states: "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."

In the margin, it does note "rather." Yet the translators seem to have preferred "more." If one was using this verse against someone who said that it is alright to serve creatures/creation along with the Creator provided we did not serve them more than the Creator, how should one respond? Should one appeal to margin? Is there something of note in the text that allows the translation of "more" without drawing that conclusion? If one did compare this verse with other Scripture that says "only," what if the person said (a) "See, there's a contradiction in the Bible!" or (b) "You are arbitrarily making this verse conform with the other. Why not make the other verse conform with this" (obviously, if there's something in the text itself that allows "more" without a false conclusion, then there's not as much need to appeal to other Scripture verses)?


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## J. Dean (Feb 28, 2012)

I believe the overall point of that text is that creation was elevated (and in some cases still is elevated) to an idolatrous level, as being given deistic powers and attributes that belong to God alone. 

If understood this way (and understood in relation to the rest of Scripture), then whether or not the text says "more" or "rather," the same general idea is conveyed: idolization of the created realm.


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## Mathetes (Feb 28, 2012)

Moo's commentary puts it this way:

Because this preposition followed by the accusative normally has a comparative meaning, Paul might be accusing the Gentile idolaters of worshipping the creatures represented by their idols "more than" the Creator (cf. KJV). But παρά, by a natural extension of its comparative force, sometimes means "instead of"; cf. BAGD, who cite Luke 18:14; Romans 1:25; Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 2 Corinthians 8:3; Hebrews 1:9; 11:11; and _Ep. Arist._ 139, where the author says that the Jew worship τὀν μὁνον θεὀν παῤ ὄλην τἠν χτίσιν ("the only God instead of the whole creation"). This meaning fits better Paul's emphasis on the "exchange" that idolaters have made (hence the translation found in most modern English versions).


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