1 Corinthians 11

Larry Overton LGO at larryoverton.com
Thu Jul 18 09:28:13 EDT 2002


1 Corinthians 11:14 - OUDEI hH FUSIS AUTH DIDASKEI hUMAS hOTI ANHR MEN EAN
KOMAi ATIMIA AUTWi ESTIN  11:15 - GUNH DE EAN KOMAi DOXA AUTHi ESTIN hOTI hH
KOMH ANTI PERIBOLAIOU DEDOTAI [AUTHi]

I echo David's original question:

>> in which way does nature teach us that it is a shame for a man to
>> have long hair?

Clay, your comments on Paul's reference to the "created order and hH FUSIS"
in Romans 1:26 are not that helpful here. I doubt that Paul is saying to the
Corinthians that "the order of things established in creation" means long
hair is a shameful thing on men. I agree with your assessment that the
"whole question hangs on Paul's use of hH FUSIS," and that it is "a
complicated topic." I also agree that the context of Romans 1 warrants a
close connection of FUSIS to the created order. But I would think it
somewhat of an eisegetical assumption to read that understanding into this
Corinthian passage.

The typical translation of hH FUSIS AUTH is "nature itself". This, however,
seems unlikely to be what Paul had in mind. If something like "that which is
natural" (in a physical sense) is the intended meaning, then the idea of
long hair being a shame for a man does not square with the fact that letting
nature take its course means a man's hair will grow long. Is there any
(lexical) justification for understanding FUSIS here as "that which is
natural (in a cultural sense)"?

Or, what about the rendering, "the appearance of things"? The abridged
Liddell-Scott lists an example of FUSIS in a line from Pindar's Odes
(specifically line 5 of Nemean Ode 6) as referring to "outward form." The
line reads, ALLA TI PROSFEROMEN EMPAN H MEGAN NOON HTOI FUSIN AQANATOIS
("Nevertheless, we bear some resemblance either in greatness of mind or in
*outward form* [FUSIN] to the immortals."). Other examples of FUSIS
referring to physical appearance, the "bodily nature", are cited in L-S.
Would such a rendering in 1 Corinthians 11:14 be stretching things a bit too
much, or is there some merit to this?

Also, the translation of ANTI in verse 15 is typically (KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB,
etc.) rendered "for." Is there a reason for this that I'm missing? I would
think that a more acceptable gloss would be "instead of," which tracks with
definitions given in lexicons from Thayer to BAGD to L-S. Also, both Darby
and Young render it so in their translations ("in lieu of" and "instead of",
respectively).

Larry G. Overton



-----Original Message-----
From: c stirling bartholomew [mailto:cc.constantine at worldnet.att.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 2:34 PM
To: Biblical Greek
Subject: [b-greek] Re: 1 Corinthians 11


on 7/17/02 11:18 AM, c stirling bartholomew wrote:

> on 7/17/02 10:23 AM, David Fox wrote:
>
>> I have been looking at 1 Corinthians 11.
>> In verses 14-15,
>
> 1COR. 11:14-15 OUDE hH FUSIS AUTH DIDASKEI hUMAS hOTI ANHR MEN EAN KOMAi
> ATIMIA AUTWi ESTIN, GUNH DE EAN KOMAi DOXA AUTHi ESTIN; hOTI hH KOMH ANTI
> PERIBOLAIOU DEDOTAI [AUTHi].
>
>> in which way does nature teach us that it is a shame for a man to
>> have long hair?
>
> This whole question hangs on Paul's use of hH FUSIS, a complicated topic.
Paul
> uses the term here to reflect the order of things established in creation.

David,

The classic Pauline passage dealing with created order and hH FUSIS is
Romans 1:18-32. Pay particularly close attention to THN FUSIKHN CRHSIN and
EIS THN PARA FUSIN in Romans 1:26-27.

Again,  find a copy of *D. Wold and see what he says about Paul's doctrine
of creation and hH FUSIS, particularly Pages 182-4.

*Donald J. Wold, Out of Order. : Homosexuality in the Bible & the Ancient
Near East, Baker Books (1999)

Clay


--
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062



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