Lk 1:76
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Wed Sep 11 10:23:06 EDT 2002
I forward this response of George Somsel to the list; it is a reply not to
me, of course, but rather to the message of Sylvie Chabert d'Hyères which I
had forwarded to the list.
In a message dated 9/11/2002 8:51:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu writes:
>Moreover in Lk 1, the choice of the prepositions ENWPION, ENANTI and PRO
>PROSWPOU appears gradual. ENWPION TOU QEOU in 1:6 - according to D05 - does
>not comprise the nuance of opposition or confrontation which EN-ANTI-ON
>(accepted in the "critical text") holds. EN-ANTI TOU QEOU in Lk 1:9 refers
>to the service performed by the high priest entering the Holy of Holies;
>ENANTI stressed the religious fear inspired by the divine presence (Ex
>28:12, 30 etc., chiefly according to MS A). Could PRO PROSWPOU in 1:76 be
>chosen to mark a difference between these two verses, a difference which
>might be explained by Lk 7:27D would explain ... ?
>
Carl,
This somewhat misrepresents the case. ENANTI TOU QEOU is used 3 time in
the LXX -- Ex 28.29; Num 10.10; Jer 3.25. In Ex 28.29 it might possibly
refer to the entrance into the inner sanctum or it might simply refer to
Aaron's service in the tabernacle/temple generally. In Num 10.10, however,
we read
KAI EN TAIS hHMERAIS THS EUFROSUNHS hUMWN KAI EN TAIS hEWRTAIS hUMWN
SALPIETE TAIS SALPIGCIN EPI THS hOLOKAUTWMASIN KAI EPI TAIS QUSIAS TWN
SWTHRIWN hUMWN, KAI ESTAI hUMIN ANAMNHSIS ENANTI TOU QEOU hUMWN, EGW KURIOS
hO QEOS hUMWN.
Here it is plain that the burnt offerings over which the trumpets were to
be sounded were not sacrificed in the Holy of Holies, but outside.
also in Jer 3.25 we read
EKOIMHQHMEN EN THi AISXUNHi hHMWN, KAI EPEKALUYEN hHMAS hH ATIMIA hHMWN,
DIOTI ENANTI TOU QEOU hHMWN hHMARTOMEN hHMEIS KAI hOI PATERES hHMWN APO
NEOTHTOS hEWS THS hHMERAS TAUTHS KAI OUX hUPHKOUSAMEN THS FWNHS KURIOU TOU
QEOU hHMWN.
Surely Jeremiah is not envisioning the entire city of Jerusalem entering
into the Holy of Holies to commit sins in the very presence of God! I'm
afraid we have a case of convenient theologizing here.
gfsomsel
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