[B-Greek] hUPOSTASIS in Heb 11.1
Maurice A. O'Sullivan
mauros at iol.ie
Thu Oct 16 19:57:00 EDT 2003
At 20:52 16/10/2003, Kevin Smith wrote:
>Regarding hUPOSTASIS here BAGD (1979, s.v. 2) says, "the sense 'confidence',
>'assurance' must be eliminated, since examples of it cannot be found. It
>cannot therefore play a role in Heb 11:1, where it has enjoyed much favor
>since Luther. Among the meanings that can be authenticated the one that
>seems to fit best here is 'realization'." Nevertheless, many translators
>render "faith is the assurance of things hoped for" (or similar).
But have you consulted BDAG (2000)?
where s.1b reads:
>> of things: among the meanings that can be authenticated for Hb 11:1 a
strong claim can be made for realization (Diod. S. 1, 3, 2 of the
realization of a plan; Cornutus 9 p. 9, 3 of the realization of humanity;
Jos., C. Ap. 1, 1 that of the Jewish people, both by a divine act; Tat. 5,
1 of God ):
in faith things hoped for become realized, or things hoped for take on (but
s. 3 and 4 below) reality <<
s.3 repeats the " must be eliminated " passage you quoted from BADG, but
OTOH, s. 4 reads:
>>guarantee of ownership/entitlement, title deed (Sb 9086 III, 111 [104
a.d.]; Spicq III 423 n. 14; cp. M-M s.v.) Hb 11:1 (cp. 2 above for
commercial use of .). <<
I would recommend reading the full article by Spicq [ Spicq, Ceslas.
Theological Lexicon of the New Testament. 3 vols. Peabody, Mass:
Hendrickson, 1996.] but I will just quote the end of his article in the
light of s.4 of BDAG, above.
Spicq writes: >> According to the edict of Mettius Rufus, all owners of
building and Iand have to have deeds on record establishing their property
rights.Thus _hypostasis_ is a collection of documents establishing
ownership. deposited in the archives and proving the owner's rights; hence
it is a guarantee for the future. Moulton-Milligan are right to translate
Heb 11:1 "Faith is the title-deed of things hoped for", This was also the
interpretation of the Peshitta: _pyso_, "guarantee, proof.,' Faith is a
title of ownership on property that is in the future. <<
There is also the approach of the Translator's Handbook [ Ellingworth, P.,
& Nida, E. A. (1994], c1983). A handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews.
Originally published: Translator's handbook on the Letter to the Hebrews.
c1983. ]
To be sure: the Greek word which RSV translates assurance has been
understood in three ways:
(a) From early times, some translators and commentators have thought it had
the meaning substance or underlying reality which it has in 1.3 (Gods
own being). This interpretation is chosen by KJV substance; Knox and NEB
text gives substance to our hopes.
(b) Most translations understand the word as assurance or conviction:
RSV and NEB footnote assurance; Phps full confidence; NAB confident
assurance; or verbal expressions like to be sure; Mft we are confident.
(c) Some French translations have guarantee, perhaps because the word
was often used in legal documents of the time for the title-deeds of a
piece of property (TNT note); Seg, BJ; TOB faith is a way of already
possessing what one hopes for; JB Only faith can guarantee the blessings
that we hope for.
Regards,
Maurice
Maurice A. O'Sullivan
mauros at iol.ie
[ Bray, Ireland ]
"God does a lot of things in the Psalms
that He can't get away with in systematic theology."
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list