[B-Greek] KLHTOS APOSTOLOS (Rom 1:1)

Polycarp66 at aol.com Polycarp66 at aol.com
Thu Mar 13 04:10:45 EST 2003


In a message dated 3/13/2003 12:09:34 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
dbielby at bloomingtonvineyard.org writes:

> In Romans 1:1 Paul introduces himself saying "KLHTOS APOSTOLOS" in the
> middle of the verse.  My Greek lexicons say that KLHTOS can be translated
> "called, invited or welcome" as one option.  Questions on this verse I'd
> like to see replies to include:  
> 
> Can we legitimately translate it "Invited to be an apostle"...or should it
> lean towards the sense of "Chosen to be an apostle" as the NLT translates
> it?  
> 
> If Paul was saying 'invited to be an apostle' could he have been saying 
> this
> in a 'softened' way so as to not come on too strong....or could he have 
> been
> thinking about the fact that he was still 'running the race' and hadn't
> completed his course yet...?
> 
> Does Revelations 17:14 indicate a progression "KLHTOS" and "EKLEKTOI" and
> "PISTOI"...and if it does...could this progression illuminate the use of
> KLHTOS in Romans 1:1 and the other NT passages it occurs in? 
> 
> L&N say ", it may be necessary likewise to make certain semantic 
> adjustments
> in the translation of KLHTOS . For example, the phrase in Ro 1.1 may be
> rendered as 'urgently invited to be an apostle' or even 'summoned and
> commissioned to be an apostle.'"  
> 
> I have other questions about this term.  Is KLHTOS referring to the event 
> in
> Acts 9 15 (Sauls conversion) or the event in Acts 13:2 (Sauls separation 
> for
> mission trips with Barnabas) or possibly both...or neither??
> 
> References to articles or further information would also be appreciated.
> 
I hope you don't mind if a "middle Greek" replies to your question.

PAULOS DOULOS XRISTOU IHSOU, KLHTOS APOSTOLOS . . . 

To take your second question first.  Although there is an etymological 
relation between KLHTOS and EKLEKTOS, I would hesitate to draw any 
conclusions from this relationship.  Many have made such conclusions in 
regard to other relationships which can prove to be more fanciful than real.

There is a usage of KLHTOS in the LXX which I find rather interesting in 
regard to Rom 1.1.  In 1 Kg 1.41, 49 it is used of the guests at Adonijah's 
banquet.  For this reason, because of Paul's rather peculiar situation as 
being an 'apostle' who was not one who had been a witness to all of the 
events of Jesus' ministry, and because I generally prefer to maintain the 
correspondence between the parts of speech in translating, I would rather 
translate it as "guest apostle".

In regard to your third question regarding whether it relates to Acts 9.15, I 
would simply say "Yes, I think so."

gfsomsel


More information about the B-Greek mailing list