[B-Greek] AGAPE in the NT

Jeffrey B. Gibson jgibson000 at comcast.net
Thu Feb 5 12:17:23 EST 2004



Brent Hudson wrote:

> >
> > But (I think) this is my point. It is an association that is
> > not held by most who have actually taken the time to look at
> > the usage of the verb in the Koine in which the NT was
> > written as well as in the NT itself, yes?
>
> Well, Westcott was no slouch in Greek nor was Plummer, but both thought
> AGAPAW referred to a higher form of love than did PHILEW.  I think Trench
> also makes this judgment.  It is not in favour now, but I think there was a
> time when this was a standard interpretation of the Greek text.  I'm pretty
> sure they all would have studied the usage of the verb.  I guess, wrong
> conclusions are possible even after much study :-)

Remember that these stalwarts were all working before the discovery of the
papyri. What does M&M say?

In any case, here's a very incomplete list, compiled using only AGAPW as my
search term, of  the instances of  the verb in Greek Jewish literature roughly
contemporary with the NT that shows how the verb was understood in the matrix
of Christianity.  It seems to me that even this small sample shows that the
claim  that within early Christianity the verb denoted a Higher Love  would be
hard to sustain.

Jeffrey

***********
Philo Judaeus Phil
LA 2.48.7
LA 2.56.3
LA 3.129.5
Sac 20.5
Plant 105.6
Ebr 84.6
Sobr 6.2
Conf 110.1
Heres 47.3
Heres 127.2
Fug 154.6
Mut 225.2
Abr 87.4
Abr 221.3
Virt 104.5
Prov 2.58.1

Flavius Josephus Hist
AJ 1.99.2
AJ 4.249.4
AJ 5.342.4
AJ 6.206.3
AJ 6.322.3
AJ 7.254.4
AJ 7.270.1
AJ 8.215.6
AJ 14.463.7
AJ 18.243.1
AJ 18.245.1
AJ 18.361.1
Ap 2.296.2
BJ 1.30.4
BJ 1.72.5
BJ 1.85.4
BJ 1.171.3
BJ 2.360.1
BJ 2.650.2
BJ 7.350.2

Apocalypsis Eliae
Fragmenta frag a,col1.5
Fragmenta frag b,col2.8

Oracula SibyllinaOracula 2.52

Testamenta XII  Ppatriarcharum
2.3.6.3
9.6.1.3
10.2.3.1
12.3.4.3
12.4.5.2


>
>
> Brent Hudson
>
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--

Jeffrey B. Gibson, D.Phil. (Oxon.)

1500 W. Pratt Blvd. #1
Chicago, IL 60626

jgibson000 at comcast.net





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