Philippians 2:6

Ilvgrammta at aol.com Ilvgrammta at aol.com
Thu Dec 23 10:57:41 EST 1999


In a message dated 99-12-23 06:55:18 EST, rdecker at bbc.edu writes:

<< The info at these URLs address an idiom involved in the HARPAGMOS crux. If 
 the idiom is not recognized (and I didn't see any evidence of it in the few 
 posts on the subject that I just read, though I didn't read all of them), 
 then the thrust of the passage will be severely misconstrued. There was a 
 diss. at Harvard (Roy Hoover) that has, IMHO, provided the best explanation 
 of the idiom and its function here. There was an *HTR* article summarizing 
 the diss. as well. >>

Dear Rod and other B-Greekers,

Hoover's dissertation appeared in the Harvard Theological Review (64 (1971) 
95-119). A followup article supporting Hoover's claims was published in 1986 
(N.T. Wright. "hARPAGMOS and the Meaning of Philippians 2:5-11," JTS. 321-52).

In 1988, however, an article rebutting the averrations of both Wright and 
Hoover was written and published in HTR by J.C. O'Neill ("Hoover on hARPAGMOS 
Reviewed, with a Modest Proposal Concerning Philippians 2:6").

He wrote on p. 447: ' "The meaning of hARPAGMOS, however, remains doubtful. 
Hoover has produced no compelling case for translating "to think of something 
as hARPAGMON" as "to think of something as something to take advantage of." 
It can always mean "to think of something as an occasion for acting as a 
robber, snatching back or reaper of advantage." '

Cf. C.A. Wannamaker (NT Stud. Vol. 33, 1987, pp. 179-193).

Edgar Foster



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