ANWQEN in John 3:3 ff

Byron & Linetta Knutson byronk at open.org
Fri Dec 27 14:48:08 EST 2002


> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Paul S Dixon" <dixonps at juno.com>
> To: "Biblical Greek" <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Cc: <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2002 12:03 PM
> Subject: [b-greek] Re: ANWQEN in John 3:3 ff
>
>
> > But, I did notice Gal 4:9 and the juxtaposition of PALIN ANWQEN.
> > Thoughts?
>
> The translations have "once again" or "all over again" or some variation
> thereof, and that seems to be correct.  PALIN is modifying ANWQEN, or vice
> versa, and strengthening the idea.  Quite clearly, from context, ANWQEN
cannot
> mean "from above" here...
>
> Or maybe it's like the teletubbies (which, fortunately, my older daughter
has
> outgrown and my younger seems not to like) "again, again!"  :)
>
> N.E. Barry Hofstetter
> Professor of Theological and Biblical Studies
>     The Center for Urban Theological Studies, Philadelphia, PA
> http://home.earthlink.net/~nebarry
>
Every time I read this passage in Gal 4:9 I can't help wondering if the
ANWQEN isn't a scribal note incorporated into the text originally written as
we often do just above or beside a word after we have already written
something and re-read to make sure we didn't make a mistake, i.e., saying
the 2nd PALIN  was inadvertently inserted by scribal mistake FROM the line
ABOVE.  Something like the following:

EPISTREFETE PALIN EPI TA ASQENH KAI PTWCA

                               ANWQEN
STOICEIA OIS PALIN DOULEUEIN QELETE....

If so, the original text would have had neither the 2nd PALIN or the ANWQEN.
I'm not saying this is so, I just notice this everytime I read it and
wonder.

Byron Knutson




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