Semantic range of PROSKUNEW
Rolf Furuli
furuli at online.no
Thu Jun 25 08:37:32 EDT 1998
Dear all,
In our quest for the semantic range of PROSKUNEW, we must not forget the
Jewish background of many of the situations where the word is used. Both
those writing the gospesls and the persons who did PROSKUNEW to Jesus, had
the Hebrew HAWA as a part of their presupposition pool, so the semantic
range of PROSKUNEW cannot be found without taking the semantic range of
HAWA into account.
The LXX translates HAWA as PROSKUNEW in 148 instances, and there is
absolutely no doubt that PROSKUNEW in the LXX simply means to prostrate
oneself. The context will help us see which side of PROSKUNEW is
illuminated or stressed in each case. There is no other reason to
"prostrate onself" for God than to worship him, so in such instances is
"worship" made visible. In all other instances should we rely on the "core
meaning" "prostrate onself", except when the context shows that a more
restricted area of the concept PROSKUNEW is illuminated.
The nature of the act PROSKUNEW indicates that it more often than not is
done towards a superior, but it is very difficult, if not impossible to
prove that inferiority/superiority is included either in the concept HAWA
or PROSKUNEW. Two LXX examples: PROSKUNEW was done before strangers without
any intention of viewing them as superior ( Gen 23:7,12). In 2 KINGS 5:18
is PROSKUNEW used two times by Naaman with the meaning to "bow down"
without any superior in view.
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