[B-Greek] (Heb 2:16)
Frankie Gonzalez
fgonzalez29 at carolina.rr.com
Wed Oct 22 19:08:04 EDT 2003
EPILAMBANETAI is a compound word from EPI and LAMBANO
and its has various shades of meanings. Not only in the Greek scriptures but also in Classical literature.
In the GNT shows up 19 times with various flavors . as catch, seize, help, took etc.
For example Thayer's The New Testament Greek Lexicon says:
1. to take in addition, to lay hold of, take possession of, overtake,
attain, attain to
1. to lay hold of or to seize upon anything with the hands, to
take hold of, lay hold of
2. metaph. to rescue one from peril, to help, succour
Which means you can apply it literaly (phisical action) or more like helping, rescuing or even receiving or assisting
Even when you take someone by the hand insist to join you for dinner! (like Lot and Abraham did with the angels)
Of course Paul here is talking about spiritual things on how Jesus helped or assisted the seed of Abraham by offering himself as a sacrifice. (the context explain this)
But seting (the very interesting spiritual aspect) that aside and sticking with etymology and lexicography aspects of word here is a list
of the usage of LAMBANO in Classical Greek:
It seems it has two major applications: To take ( active) to receive (passive) and some others too with Liddell and Scott.
Because and not good at typing too much here is a link where you can see the various shades of LAMBANO
http://www.prairieviewchristian.org/Greek%20Word%20study/Lambano.pdf
I liked the comment by Gerard Schneider in Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament vol 2 page 336 on lambano
commenting on the use by Herodotus, Hessiod, Homer and Xenophon)
Interesting stuff,
I hope this help a little,
Frankie Gonzalez
UNCC
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