KATHAIREW in John 15
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Tue Dec 14 12:05:37 EST 1999
At 11:33 AM -0500 12/14/99, KAREN PITTS wrote:
>Context: I'm currently leading a Bible study on the Gospel of John. We
>met yesterday to discuss John 15:1-11. I always have the Greek text at
>hand for our discussions.
>
>I don't have my GNT with me, so I'm not sure of the exact verse, I think it
>is John 15:2. The verse uses AIREW and KATHAIREW for cutting back branches
>that are unfruitful or pruning to produce more fruit. Several of the study
>Bibles that people brought to our Bible study mentioned that KATHAIREW is
>related to cleansing, by which I assumed they (the study Bibles) meant
>KATHARIZW (KATHAROS). I was not comfortable with that statement (in fact,
>I said I didn't think it was so), but said I would ask all of you.
>
>Is KATHAIREW is related to KATHARIZW?
>
>And where would I look to answer that question for myself?
It's not KAQAIREW, a compound of KATA and hAIREW (grasp, seize), but
KAQAIRW, a compound of KATA and AIRW (lift, raise, remove); it is related
to the adjective KAQAROS/A/ON "clean," "pure"; KAQARIZW is a causative verb
from the adjective KAQAROS. KAQAIRW means "cleanse," "make clean".
I really love having Louw and Nida directly accessible in AcCordance; it is
terrific for answer just such a question:
43.12 KAQAIRW: to cut away or cut back unproductive branches or to cut back
productive branches so they can produce better - 'to take away, to prune,
to cut off.' PAN TO KARPON FERON KAQAIREI AUTO 'every (branch) that bears
fruit, he prunes it' Jn 15:2. In Jn 15:2 the verb KAQAIRW involves a play
on two different meanings. The one meaning involves pruning of a plant,
while the other meaning involves a cleansing process (79.49). This play on
two meanings of KAQAIRW serves to highlight the meanings of KAQAROS as
'clean' (79.48) or 'pure' (53.29) in Jn 15:3.
79.49 KAQARIZW; KAQAIRW: to cause something to become clean - 'to make
clean, to cleanse, to clean.'
KAQARIZW KAQARIZETE TO EXWQEN TOU POTHRIOU KAI THN PAORXIDOS 'you clean the
outside of the cup and plate' Mt 23:25.
KAQAIRW; PAN TO KARPON FERON KAQAIRE AUTO 'every (branch) that bears fruit
he cleanses' Jn 15:2. In Jn 15:2 the meaning of KAQAIRW may also be
understood as 'to prune branches' (see 43.12), thus playing on two distinct
meanings of KAQAIRW.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
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