EI EXESTIN (Mt 19:3)

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Sun Oct 17 17:13:12 EDT 1999


To: Jeffrey B. Gibson,

<< EI EXESTIN does indeed mean "is it allowed by Moses/Torah?" (a modern 
equivalent would be "is it constitutional"). But ...  the phrase was also 
used to mean "Is it  **in your opinion** seemly" >>

In passing, one might note that the phrase "is it constitutional" does not 
necessarily mean that a particular case is mentioned in the constitution, 
rather it often refers to the rulings of the Supreme Court.

What do you mean by "seemly"?

I can see where  EI EXESTIN  could be translated as "is it lawful" (as the 
NRSV does) or as "is it allowed [by you]."  But since the question "is it 
lawful" seems to be a question of jurisprudence, I'm not for sure that 
there is much difference between "is it lawful" and "is it allowed [by 
you]." Are you wanting to suggest something different here with "is 
it  **in your opinion** seemly"?

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com

 From Luther's Large Catechism: "Why, do you think, is the world now so 
full of unfaithfulness, shame, misery, and murder? It is because everyone 
wishes to be his or her own master, be free from all authority, care 
nothing for anyone, and do whatever he or she pleases. So God punishes one 
knave by means of another" (BoC 386.154).



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