πíστiς Xρiστoȗ “faith in Christ”, the “faithfulness of Christ”, or something else?

Mitchell

(1) In your opinion what does Paul's use of πíστiς Xρiστoȗ mean?
(2) Should it be taken an objective genitive a subjective genitive, both, or something else? And why?
(3) How should πíστiς Xρiστoȗ and why? Please give your rational and/or support for your viewpoint.
(4) And, practically speaking if one holds to one or the other viewpoint what difference will that make?

See: Romans 3:22, 26; Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 3:9

[Deleted User]

@Mitchell said:
(1) In your opinion what does Paul's use of πíστiς Xρiστoȗ mean?

believing / faith in Christ.

(2) Should it be taken an objective genitive a subjective genitive, both, or something else? And why?

In light of many other verses which speak of "believing / faith" in relation to "Christ", I consider the verses where this genitive expression is used as carrying the same meaning.

Linguistically speaking, the genitive construction therefore is a "genitive of the object", that is "Christ" is the object in view of this faith/believing spoken of.
The expression is not about what or that Christ (as the subject) believed / had faith.

(3) How should πíστiς Xρiστoȗ and why? Please give your rational and/or support for your viewpoint.

See above for how the "faith of Christ" genitive construction should be understood, as well as my rational for this understanding. In support, I refer to the various verses you mention below in which the added expression "for those who believe" etc clarifies this even further.

(4) And, practically speaking if one holds to one or the other viewpoint what difference will that make?

The difference would be extraordinary ...
In the case of understanding the phrase as a genitive of the object, it would be speaking about people who are responsible to do the believing and to have the trust in Christ (that is, in his accomplished and completed work of redemption and salvation.
In the case of understanding the phrase as a genitive of the subject, it would be speaking about what and how Christ believed and others would not even be in view.

See: Romans 3:22, 26; Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 3:9

See above ... I would say that the verses (as well as their contexts) either mention directly or indicate emphatically that the statement is speaking about believers / people who believe in Christ, and not about how or what Christ believed.

Dave_L

tn Or “faith in Christ.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pistis Christou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in v. 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212–15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321–42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248–63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730–44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.
sn ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.

Biblical Studies Press. (2005). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.