"Call upon" is the middle voice
middle —The grammatical voice that signifies that the subject of the verb is being affected by its own action or is acting upon itself.
Heiser, M. S. (2005; 2005).
Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology (middle). Logos Bible Software.
Im curious if anyone knows greek. Could this possibly mean that by Paul's action "to get yourself baptized"
It's interesting it's use is religious and legal.
It's in the middle voice. If Paul is the subject is he appealing to Christ's legal authority?
The mid.
ἐπικαλέομαί τινα, “to appeal to someone” (on one`s behalf or in one’s favour) is a common legal term in the
NT (
Lat. provocare [
ad]).
Παῦλος ἐπικαλεῖται Καίσαρα, “Paul appeals to,” “makes an appeal to Caesar,”
Ac. 25:11,
12,
25 (here, instead of
Καίσαρα, τὸν Σεβαστόν, Augustus);
26:32;
28:19. The absolute use is also found in this sense at
Ac. 25:21: Paul appeals to be reserved to the decision of Augustus. A similar, though less technical, use is found at
2 C. 1:23:
μάρτυρα τὸν θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχήν, “I call God to witness against my soul (i.e., against me).”
3
Often in the NT the believer calls on God or Christ, or the name of God or Christ, in prayer: Ac. 2:21:
ὃς ἐὰν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου (== Jl. 3:5); cf. R. 10:13; Ac. 7:59: …
τὸν Στέφανον ἐπικαλούμενον καὶ λέγοντα· κύριε Ἰησοῦ (in this absolute verbal use the vocative replaces the accusative of object); 9:14:
τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου (sc.
Χριστοῦ, or less likely
θεοῦ); 9:21: …
τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο; 22:16: …
τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ (sc.
θεοῦ); R. 10:12: …
αὐτόν (sc.
Χριστόν rather than
θεόν); cf. 10:13 (→ 499) and 14; 1 C. 1:2: …
τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ; 2 Tm. 2:22: …
τὸν κύριον (A reads
ἀγαπώντων for
ἐπικαλουμένων, and this offers a useful commentary);
1 Pt. 1:17: …
πατέρα (cf.
ψ 88:26).
New Testament.
Lat. Latin, latin.
3 Cf. Deissmann LO, 258, where we have the material par.. from Ditt. Or., II, 532, 28 ff.:
ἐπαρῶμαι αὐτός τε κατʼ ἐμοῦ καὶ α[ώμα]τος τοῦ ἐμαυτοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς καὶ βίου κτλ.
Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964-c1976. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (3:497). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
Is Paul then appealing to Christ's legal authority by being baptized???
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