BIOS in Jo 2:16

Maurice A. O'Sullivan mauros at iol.ie
Fri Oct 22 20:24:03 EDT 1999


At 19:41 22/10/99 +0000, you wrote:

>Maybe you could help me to understand the expression ALAZONEIA TOU BIOU in
>Jo 1:16?

You did mean to type 1 Jo. 2:16, didn't you? <g>

It's not clear to me whether it is the English or the Greek which is 
puzzling you,
Perhaps the English? --- I don't blame you, "vainglory" is a _very_ old 
word, and for me has the ring of a Shakespearean play.
Indeed, I see that the SOED has this citation:
  SHAKES. Timon : What needs these feasts, pomps, and vainglories?

As for the Greek,
ALAZONEIA occurs twice in the NT:   ! John 2:16, and Js. 4:16
The BAGD definition is:
pretension, arrogance in word and deed

It appears 7 times in the LXX, but always in the very late literature, 
Maccabees and once in Wisdom.

The NRSV tranlsates:
in 1 Jn  "pride in riches"
in Js.    "arrogance"

both a lot clearer to modern ears than "vainglory" <g>

Regards
Maurice




Maurice A. O'Sullivan  [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros at iol.ie

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