[B-Greek] Hosios

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Mon Aug 16 15:32:15 EDT 2004


On Aug 16, 2004, at 10:05 AM, Ron wrote:

> Can anyone out there with a broad exposure to the Greek language 
> provide any information with respect to the distinction
> between the adjectives HOSIOS and HAGIOS.  Do they overlap completely, 
> is there a distinct nuance that should always
> be noted, etc?

This is a good question. I haven't done anything like an extensive 
personal study on these two words, so take the following for what it's 
worth.

L-N has two entries that treat them as synonymous:

53.46 [in the domain "Religious Activities"] "hAGIOS, A, ON; hOSIOS, A, 
ON: pertaining to being dedicated or consecrated to the service of God 
— 'devout, godly, dedicated.'"

88.24 [in the domain "Moral and Ethical Qualities and Related 
Behavior"] "hAGIOS, A‚ ON; hOSIOS, A, ON; hOSIWS: pertaining to being 
holy in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain 
essentially divine qualities in contrast with what is human — 'holy, 
pure, divine.'"

There is a footnote after this second entry that says, "There may be 
certain subtle distinctions in these two sets of meanings, those with 
the stem hAG- and those with the stem hOS-, but this cannot be 
determined with any degree of certainty from existing contexts."

The only entry for hAGIOS where it is independent from hOSIOS is for 
the use of hAGIOS in the neuter singular and plural for the tabernacle 
or Temple. And the only entry for hOSIOS where it is independent from 
hAGIOS is for the use of hOSIOS in the neuter plural for "the divine 
matters which have been promised" in Ac 13.34. So it seems that L-N 
takes the two as essentially synonymous.

BDAG, on the other hand, seems to indicate some distinction. I'll just 
give you a rough outline of the portions that seem to be most relevant:

hAGIOS, IA, ON orig. a cultic concept, of the quality possessed by 
things and persons that could approach a divinity
1. as adj. pert. to being dedicated or consecrated to the service of God
a. in the cultic sense dedicated to God, holy, sacred, i.e. reserved 
for God and God’s service
b. shading over into the sense holy = pure, perfect, worthy of God

hOSIOS, IA, ON ...In the Gr-Rom. world this term for the most part 
described that which helps maintain the delicate balance between the 
interests of society and the expectations of the transcendent realm. 
For example, the hOSIOS pers. prays and sacrifices to the gods (Pl., 
Euthyph. 14b), is conscious of basic taboos (hence wary of pollution 
because of bloodshed [ibid. 4de; cp. Od. 16, 423]), and observes 
traditions of hospitality (on Zeus as protector of the stranger, s. Od. 
9, 270f)....
1. pert. to being without fault relative to deity, devout, pious, 
pleasing to God, holy

There seems to be more room for a nuanced distinction in BDAG. I would 
recommend reading these entries in their entirety.
============

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI



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