[B-Greek] Jn 20:22 ENEFUSHSEN

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Mon Nov 17 06:10:29 EST 2003


At 12:34 AM -0800 11/17/03, Mike Watson wrote:
>Jn 20:22   KAI TOUTO EIPWN ENEFUSHSEN KAI LEGEI AUTOIS, LABETE PNEUMA AGION.
>
>Our library copy of BAG (1957) says "for the purpose of transmitting the
>Spirit". But without the object I'm a bit skeptical and this phrase seems a
>bit hasty.
>I realize based on context it seems to merit an implied object but I'd like
>a more thorough examination of the word.
>
>I found Moulton/Milligan's rendering from
>P Oxy VIII. 1088 25
>ELLEBOROU LEUKOU PROSFATWTERON TRIYAS EMFUSAS EIS TOUS MUKTHRAS
>"Pound fresh some white hellebore and blow it into the nostrils"
>I've also read the occurrence in Genesis 2:7.
>
>I also read the B-Gk archives on this one and I perceived a rather
>generalized or indefinite conclusion. Since EMFUSAW is used once in the GNT
>I'm hoping someone with a new BAGD give me an expanded explanation of the
>word.

Note that the newer Bauer in English is referred to as BDAG in view of the
fundamental efforts of Fred Danker in this revision.

>Some other questions:
>Does the prefix EN imply inhaling?

Not, I think, the subject inhales, but rather that the subject breathes
INTO or ONTO the object or adverbial point of reference: "blow into" seems
precisely accurate.

>Does the root FUSAW prevail meaning blow/inflate?

Pretty consistently, yes--the root being FUSA-.

Here's the complete text of the BDAG entry:


EMFUSAW fut. EMFUSHSW Ezk 21:36; 1 aor. ENEFUSHSA (FUSAW 'to blow';
Aristoph., Hippocr. et al.; POxy 1088, 25 [I AD]; LXX; TestSol 7, 6 D;
ApcMos 33; Philo) breathe on TINI someone 1 Cl 39:6 (Job 4:21). Abs.
(unless AUTOIS also belongs to ENEFUSHSEN.), for the purpose of
transmitting the Holy Spirit J 20:22 (cp. Gen 2:7; Wsd 15:11; Philo, Op. M.
135 hO\ ENEFUSHSEN, OUDEN HN hETERON H PNEUMA QEION; PGM 13, 762f hO
ENEFUSHSAS PNEUMA ANQRWPOIS EIS ZWHN =12, 238, but PNEUMATA; Stephan. Byz.
s.v. Iko/nion: the deluge at the time of Deucalion destroyed everyone
[pa¿ntaß]. When the earth had dried out, hO ZEUS EKELEUSE TWi PROMHQEI KAI
THi AQHNAi EIDWLA DIAPLAASAI EK TOU PHLOU, KAI PROSKALESAMENOS TOUS ANEMOUS
EMFUSHSAI PAASIN EKELEUSE KAI ZWNTA APOTELESAI 'Zeus ordered P. and A. to
shape images out of clay, and then summoned the winds to breathe on all of
them and so make them live'.).-DELG s.v. FUSAW. M-M. TW.

Another NT reference  linking the "insufflation" of Adam with the
"insufflation" performed by Jesus may be relevant here, even though it
doesn't contain the verb EMFUSAW

1 Cor 15:45 hOUTWS KAI GEGRAPTAI: EGENETO hO PRWTOS ANQRWPOS ADAM EIS YUCHN
ZWSAN, hO ESCATOS ADAM EIS PNEUMA ZWiOPOIOUN.
-- 

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/



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