1 Corinthians 7:21
Posted: October 12th, 2012, 9:11 am
I have two questions about 1 Corinthians 7:21. The text of verses 20-21 is:
ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κλήσει ᾗ ἐκλήθη, ἐν ταύτῃ μενέτω. 21 δοῦλος ἐκλήθης, μή σοι μελέτω· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι, μᾶλλον χρῆσαι.
A literal rendering could be: Each one in the calling in which he was called, in that he should remain. Were you called as a slave, let not that be a concern to you - however if, in fact, you are able to become free, by all means make use (of it).
My two questions are:
1) What is the implied object of χρῆσαι?
2) What is the nuance of μᾶλλον and which word if any does it qualify?
BDAG states under the entry for χράομαι:
“A dat. is to be supplied w. μᾶλλον χρῆσαι make the most of, take advantage of 1 Cor 7:21, either τῇ δουλείᾳ … or τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ.”
It seems to me that there is third and better option. Rather than referring back to slavery or freedom, none of which occur in the previous clause, why not take it to refer back to the event idea expressed by δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι?
In that case, the meaning would be: Make use of it (the possibility to become free.) And that seems the way that almost all translations have taken it.
There is a similar consctruction in 1 Cor 9:12, but here the dative object for the verb is explicit:
εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ὑμῶν ἐξουσίας μετέχουσιν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ
(Since others partake of this right over you, why not even more us? Howevere, we have not made use of this right (to be paid for our services.))
μᾶλλον is a comparative intensifier. Those who prefer to take freedom or slavery as the implied object, suggest that it means: Use your freedom (or slavery) to serve the Lord even more.
I prefer to link it to the same event idea of the possibility to become free and link it to the verb it precedes. In that case, it would mean: By all means make use of that chance/opprotunity. (Most modern translations make this intensifying word implicit.)
What do you think? I am wondering why BDAG restricted itself to two indirect objects rather than mentioning what seems obvious to me.
ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κλήσει ᾗ ἐκλήθη, ἐν ταύτῃ μενέτω. 21 δοῦλος ἐκλήθης, μή σοι μελέτω· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι, μᾶλλον χρῆσαι.
A literal rendering could be: Each one in the calling in which he was called, in that he should remain. Were you called as a slave, let not that be a concern to you - however if, in fact, you are able to become free, by all means make use (of it).
My two questions are:
1) What is the implied object of χρῆσαι?
2) What is the nuance of μᾶλλον and which word if any does it qualify?
BDAG states under the entry for χράομαι:
“A dat. is to be supplied w. μᾶλλον χρῆσαι make the most of, take advantage of 1 Cor 7:21, either τῇ δουλείᾳ … or τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ.”
It seems to me that there is third and better option. Rather than referring back to slavery or freedom, none of which occur in the previous clause, why not take it to refer back to the event idea expressed by δύνασαι ἐλεύθερος γενέσθαι?
In that case, the meaning would be: Make use of it (the possibility to become free.) And that seems the way that almost all translations have taken it.
There is a similar consctruction in 1 Cor 9:12, but here the dative object for the verb is explicit:
εἰ ἄλλοι τῆς ὑμῶν ἐξουσίας μετέχουσιν, οὐ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς; Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐχρησάμεθα τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ταύτῃ
(Since others partake of this right over you, why not even more us? Howevere, we have not made use of this right (to be paid for our services.))
μᾶλλον is a comparative intensifier. Those who prefer to take freedom or slavery as the implied object, suggest that it means: Use your freedom (or slavery) to serve the Lord even more.
I prefer to link it to the same event idea of the possibility to become free and link it to the verb it precedes. In that case, it would mean: By all means make use of that chance/opprotunity. (Most modern translations make this intensifying word implicit.)
What do you think? I am wondering why BDAG restricted itself to two indirect objects rather than mentioning what seems obvious to me.