sanctification-holiness
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Tue May 2 06:20:38 EDT 2000
At 9:40 PM -0700 5/1/00, Michael Abernathy wrote:
>I was just translating 1 Thess. 4:3-4. Kittel describes HAGIASMOS as the
>process of sanctification. I note, however, that the NIV translates this
>word as sanctification in verse 3 and holiness in verse 4. I would
>appreciate your feedback on this distinction as I see no reason not to
>translate both verses as holiness.
>Thanks in advance,
>Michael Abernathy
Text: TOUTO GAR ESTIN QELHMA TOU QEOU, hO hAGIASMOS hUMWN, APECESQAI hUMAS
APO THS PORNEIAS, EIDENAI hEKASTON hUMWN TO hEAUTOU SKEUOS KTASQAI EN
hAGIASMWi KAI TIMHi
I think that one problem with "sanctification" is that it has associations
with a theological notion that may have developed later out of a way of
understanding certain NT texts, whereas the original adjective hAGIOS means
"holy" and the verb hAGIAZW means "make holy." hAGIOS is a word Paul uses
regularly in his salutations to members of congregations and in older
English versions that has been translated "saint"--but Paul surely does not
mean that those whom he thus calls "holy" are "saints" in the later sense
in which the institutional church came to use the word "saint"; rather he
means "dedicated."
If there's a difference in the way hAGIASMOS is used in the two verses, I
think I would say that in verse 3 the verbal aspect "being dedicated" is
more prominent, while in verse 4 the usage with EN and linkage with TIMH
points more to manner of behavior. I have problems with both "holiness" and
"sanctification" for translation of hAGIASMOS into English because it seems
to me that both "holiness" and "sanctification" have acquired in English
extra baggage of connotations and denotations that I personally think ought
to be jettisoned in favor of the simpler terms, "dedicate" and "dedication"
or "consecrate" and "consecration." It's worth looking at Louw & Nida on
this one:
Louw & Nida:
3.44 hAGIAZW; hAGIASMOW,OU, m: to dedicate to the service of and to loyalty
to deity -- consecrate, consecration, 'to dedicate to God, dedication.'
hAGIAZW: THi EKKLHSIAi TOU QEOUS THi OUSHi EN KORINQWi, hHGIASMENOIS EN
CRISTWi IHSOU 'to the church of God which is in Corinth, consecrated to him
in union with Christ jeus' 1 Cor 1:2.
hAGIASMOS: EIRHNHN DIWKETE META PANTWN, KAI TON hAGIASMON, hOU CWRIS OUDEIS
OYETAI TON KURION 'pursue peace with all persons, and consecration, without
which no will see the Lord' Heb 12:14.
Though in certain contexts hAGIAZW and hAGIASMOS suggest resulting
moral behavior, the emphasis is not upon a manner of life but upon
religious activity and observances which reflect one's dedication or
consecration to God. Accordingly, in 1 Cor 1:2 one may translate hAGIAZW
as 'who have given themselves to God' or 'who serve God with a whole heart.'
--
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
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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