AFRICAN JOURNAL OF CONTEXTUAL THEOLOGY

This paper investigates whether it is the idea of maturity, perfection, complete or something else that is inherent in Paul’s understanding of ??????? (teleios). The survey starts with a brief identification of the historical Paul and his letters to provide a backdrop for the study. Then the concept of ??????? (teleios) is explored using a book by book format in the order of their appearance in the New Testament. The survey is limited to ??????? (teleios) since its cognate forms abound in the New Testament and the scope of this paper cannot sustain an exhaustive survey of all. It argues further that both maturity and perfection are inherent in Paul’s conceptualization of ??????? (teleios) as well as a present reality and a future reality that shall be fully attained at the consummation of the parousia. However, the particular context of the usage of ??????? (teleios) is central to deciphering its precise meaning in a pericope and could limit the inherent meaning to only a particular sense, the Greek Bible and twenty-eight popular English versions provide the basis for this survey in addition to the studies of other scholars. The article contributes to the solving of current challenge of the meaning and translation of the word ??????? (teleios), using Pauline conceptualization of the word. It also established that both maturity, complete and perfection are inherent in Paul’s conceptualization of teleios as a present reality and a future reality that shall be fully attained in the consummation of the parousia.

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