ANWQEN in John 3:3 ff

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Thu Dec 26 20:48:58 EST 2002


On Thursday, December 26, 2002, at 11:03 AM, Paul S Dixon wrote:

> But, I did notice Gal 4:9 and the juxtaposition of PALIN ANWQEN.
> Thoughts?

Hi Paul:

PWS EPISTREFETE PALIN EPI TA ASQENH KAI PTWCA STOICEIA hOIS PALIN 
ANWQEN DOULEUEIN QELETE?

I think both adverbs modify DOULEUEIN. We may have here a figure of 
speech similar to one in English. When a movie or television scene 
doesn't quite work out, the director may say, "Let's take it again from 
the top." The idea is starting again from the beginning. I think this 
helps us to grasp how it is that ANWQEN can mean "again" as well as 
"from above." It's similar to the English expression "from the top," as 
in "take it from the top," i.e., "do it again." The idea in Gal 4.9 
seems to be that the Galatians want to repudiate their gospel 
experience and start all over again, "from the top," in slavery to the 
"weak and worthless elementary principles," though now in a different 
form.
=============
Steven R. Lo Vullo
Madison, WI




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