Despite the alpha privative (or a privative) as a fairly well known
construction, words must be defined by their usage. I am not aware of any
instance of AGAMOS in a classical author in which it means anything but
"never married." If anyone knows of one, I'd be glad to hear of it. The
Koine, however, both in Paul (1Cor. 7:11) and in at least one of the papyri
(M&M, s.v. AGAMOS), can be shown to employ AGAMOS in the sense of
"previously, but not presently married." Paul may be distinguishing between
the AGAMOUS and the XHRAS in 1Cor. 7:8 and between the AGAMOUS and the
PARQENOUS in v. 34. Is he or isn't he? If he is, there is a fair chance
AGAMOS means previously but not presently married in both of these as well
and also in v. 32. If, on the other hand, XHRA and PARQENOS are used in vv.
8 and 34 simply as subsets of AGOMOS, then the word may simply mean
"(generically) unmarried."
Regards,
David L. Moore
Miami, Florida, USA
Southeastern Spanish District of the A/G Dept. of Education
E-mail: dvdmoore@ix.netcom.com
Home Page: http://members.aol.com/dvdmoore