[B-Greek] possible meanings of FUSIS ("nature")

Harold R. Holmyard III hholmyard at ont.com
Wed Aug 18 09:32:08 EDT 2004


Dear Arie,

I'm sorry. My computer was in the shop for three weeks.

>  > Harold: So, does anyone know whether FUSIS can refer to a mental character
>>  that one develops over time, or does it refer to one's innate mental
>>  character? The idea would be that if it could refer to developed
>>  character, then the idea of an Adamic inheritance would not be so
>>  necessary to incorporate into the exegesis of the Ephesians 2
>>  passage. I support Mr. Hoehner's general perspective, but it is good
>  to check such things.

>Arie: There is a book about FUSIS: D. Holwerda, Commentatio de vocis quae est
>FUSIS vi atque usu praesertim in graecitate Aristotele anteriore, Groningae
>1955. Some biblical passages are discussed too.
>
>I would like to quote some pagan Greek passages:
>
>Democr. frm. 33
>hH FUSIS KAI hH DIDACH PARAPLHSION ESTI. KAI GAR hH DIDACH METARUSMOI TON
>ANQRWPON, METARUSMOUSA DE FUSIOPOIIEI.

HH: Does this mean something like: "Nature and teaching are similar, 
for also teaching reforms the man, reforming by remoulding to a 
second nature"? Anyway, I can see that FUSIS might be able to refer 
to acquired characteristics.

>Euenus frm 9; 2 (D)
>FHMI POLUCRONIHN MELETHN EMENAI, FILE, KAI DH
>TAUTHN ANQRWPOISI TELEUTWSAN FUSIN EINAI.

HH: Arie, you are kind to send these texts, but I am not skilled in 
classical Greek. Is EMENAI the Epic dialect form of EINAI? What does 
the last I on ANQRWPOISI signify? I can't figure this verse out. Is 
it something like: "I say, if a care is long-standing, friend, also 
then this to men at last is a nature"?

>Trag. anon.frm. 516
>MELETH CRONISQEIS' EIS FUSIN KAQISTATAI.

HH: Does this mean: "Care grown up (or: prolonged) is made into one's 
nature"? I don't know what the apostrophe after CRONISQEIS means.

>These instances that seem to teach that FUSIS *can* refer to things one has
>learned, in my opinion do not *prove* that Paul had the same idea.
>
>Holwerda explains TEKNA FUSEI ORGHS with the Peshitta as 'plene'. (p.102f).
>He gives other instances of the meaning LIAN (for FUSEI).
>
>If you would like to receive an electronic copy of some relevant pages, I
can send it. If you could read the book yourself that would be better.

HH: If the book is in Latin, I would have the same problem; it would 
take a lot of study to read it. The author in Eph 2:3 sees FUSIS as 
semantically suggesting LIAN or "plene." That might be so, but we 
still know the basic sense of FUSIS to be "nature."

While I am sympathetic with Harold Hoehner's approach to FUSIS as 
suggestive of the inherent nature of man in Eph 2:3, it is more a 
matter of the confluence of biblical testimony rather than a focus on 
this particular verse. I don't have the energy to invest myself 
heavily in this issue (for me it might be a heavy investment if the 
book is in Latin). There are evidently other possible ways of 
understanding FUSIS in Eph 3:3 besides an inherent nature. This could 
weaken the case for seeing a inborn sinful nature referred to here. 
Thank you for answering my question.

					Yours,
					Harold Holmyard




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