[B-Greek] Mary's PRWTOTOKOS

Mark Goodacre M.S.Goodacre at bham.ac.uk
Mon Dec 22 11:50:07 EST 2003


I was just reading an article on a certain John Tvedtnes who is 
quoted as saying that "It says in [Gospels of] Luke that Jesus was 
Mary's firstborn, which suggests she had other children."  
(http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Dec/12202003/saturday/121596.asp).

Luke 2.7: KAI ETEKEN TON hUION AUTHS PRWTOTOKON

So I'm wondering whether PRWTOTOKOS would suggest further children.  
I'd have thought that one might say firstborn without that necessary 
implication, especially if one were narrating the birth of the 
firstborn.  It would be different to describe someone as "firstborn" 
at a subsequent stage, I'd have thought.  But I just don't know what 
the background is. Does anyone have any ideas?  

Mark
-----------------------------
Dr Mark Goodacre                 mailto:M.S.Goodacre at bham.ac.uk
  Graduate Institute for Theology & Religion 
  Dept of Theology                  
  University of Birmingham      
  Elmfield House, Bristol Road     tel.+44 121 414 7512
  Birmingham    B29 6LQ  UK      fax: +44 121 415 8376
  
http://www.theology.bham.ac.uk/goodacre
http://NTGateway.com




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