[B-Greek] QEOS and KURIOS : a strange choice of words?

Ted Shoemaker shoemakerted at yahoo.com
Sat Sep 13 09:33:17 EDT 2003


 
Hello,

This is a post which could easily veer 
off-topic.  I will try to be careful.

If I am correct, the most common names in the 
Greek NT for the OT Deity are QEOS and KURIOS.
For the most part, the NT neither translates
nor transliterates the Hebrew names of Deity. 
That is, instead of calling the Deity
Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, etc., or 
"I am that I am", "Almighty God", etc., the 
words QEOS and KURIOS are used.  (Certainly, 
some of the reasons for this go back to the 
LXX, with which I am unfamiliar.)

I find this strange.  The word QEOS seems 
generic -- and this for a God who demands 
exclusivity.  The Greeks had used QEOS for 
centuries without referring to Yahweh.  And 
KURIOS doesn't even require the concept of 
Deity: it's also used where our own English 
would use "boss" or "mister". 

Would anyone care to speculate about the 
reasons for these choices of terms?

This topic could easily slide away from a
linguistic discussion.  If anyone wants to 
comment in a theological or devotional vein, I
will be happy to read your thoughts.  But 
please send them to me by direct email, and 
keep this list on-topic.

Thank you very much,

Ted Shoemaker
shoemakerted at yahoo.com
  
= = = 


=====
Ted Shoemaker
shoemakerted at yahoo.com
    
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