Mt 3:2, 4:17
Ben Crick
ben.crick at argonet.co.uk
Mon Nov 29 20:08:17 EST 1999
On Mon 29 Nov 1999 (15:16:37), scmiller at www.plantnet.com wrote:
> [snippage] ... ... I wonder if what
> you meant was to refer to the avoidance of using the divine name
> through a reverential circumlocution? But I don't think that BASILEIA
> TWN OURANWN can strictly speaking be called a circumlocution, since
> Matthew was not trying to avoid using the Greek term QEOS. After all,
> Matthew uses the term QEOS some 51 times. In fact, Matthew even uses the
> phrase BASILEIA TOU QEOU (at 12:28; 19:24; 21:34,43). Rather, what I think
> we have here (with BASILEIA TWN OURANWN) is simply a translation of a
> semitic circumlocution, which simply functions as a synonym to BASILEIA
> TOU QEOU. What do you think?
Dear Steven,
I agree with you entirely. Sorry I didn't use more accurate terminology,
writing off the top of my head. Thanks for tidying me up.
I don't think 'Matthew' had a hang-up over using QEOS, as you point out.
IMHO John Baptist used this circumlocution in 3:2, and Jesus echoed it
in 4:17. A sort of Synechdoche: the container (heaven) for the contents
(God).
ERRWSQE
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
<ben.crick at argonet.co.uk>
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
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