As you see in scripture, dunamis can be applied to the power of the gospel (Romans 1:16), strength from Christ through weakness/affliction (2 Corinthians 12:9), and the power to work miracles (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28-29 – a first century phenomenon). My question is: Would the fact that dunamis is used in a miraculous context as well as receiving strength from Christ (non-miraculously) be justification for one to say that God still works miracles today, if they are meaning that one receives strength according to Romans 1:16 and 2 Corinthians 12:9? I ask this, not from any thought that I would say God worked a miracle, sign, or wonder today (in light of 1 Corinthians 13:8-10). I ask, though, on the basis of dunamis and anyone who may attempt to make an argument from this word, that miracles can be applied today, but in the context of other works beside what God does DIRECTLY.
The Greek word dunamis means, “force (literally or figuratively); specially, miraculous power…” (Biblesoft’s). Vines’s adds that dunamis especially refers to “inherent power” (“Dominion”). Another Greek resource includes these variances in the meaning of dunamis: “ability” (2 Corinthians 1:8), “power” (Acts 1:8), “mighty deed” (Acts 2:22), “ruler” (Romans 8:38-39), “supernatural power” (Ephesians 6:12) and “meaning” (1 Corinthians 14:11) (“Dunamis” Greek-English). Likewise, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon denotes several variables to the way in which dunamis is used in the New Testament: inherent power, the power of miracles, moral power of excellence, the power and influence of riches, power arising from numbers, military power, the meaning of a word. “Words deriving from the stem duna- all have the basic meaning of ‘being able’…” (“Duna”).
A primary principle of correct biblical interpretation, or even of non-biblical interpretation, is to examine the context in which a word appears to determine its precise meaning in that place. The Greek word dunamis obviously does not always refer to supernatural power, as evidenced by its use – twice – in 2 Corinthians 8:3 (“ability” NKJV).
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5 NKJV emphasis added)
What this means, then, is that it matters not at all that dunamis sometimes in Scripture refers to miraculous or supernatural power with respect to correct biblical interpretation of other verses where that is not the way in which it is used.
Works Cited
Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
“Dominion.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words. CD-ROM. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985.
“Duna.” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. CD-ROM. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1989.
“Dunamis. Greek-English Lexicon Based on Semantic Domain. CD-ROM. New York: United Bible Societies, 1988.
“Dunamis.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft, 2006.
