[B-Greek] Antonyms?
Albert Pietersma
albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Sat Jan 3 16:34:48 EST 2004
On Jan 3, 2004, at 1:49 PM, Maurice A. O'Sullivan wrote:
> At 16:53 03/01/2004, Arie Dirkzwager wrote:
>
>> In Luke 6: 20 you find only "poor". The Hebrew word 'anaw, probably
>> the
>> origin of PTWCOS, has different meanings: poor in money and poor
>> (humble) in
>> the spirit.
>
> Of the 34 occurrences of PTWCOS in the N.T, 10 are in Luke -- which
> gives added significance, I think, to the fact that in 21:2 Luke uses
> PENICROS. This is a hapax in the N.T, and only occurs three times in
> the LXX -- Ex. 22:24; Pr. 28:15, 29:7. [ In the MT of these verses,
> 'anaw does not appear.].
>
> But there are strong overtones of oppression about all three uses of
> PENICROS in the LXX, thereby, I think, re-enforcing the view of
> A.G.Wright in CBQ 44 (1982) 256-263 "The Widow's Mite: Praise or
> Lament" that these verses are a lament about oppression and not praise
> for almsgiving.
>
> I know that Fitzmyer holds that the two terms are used " in these
> verse synonymously " -- and that he relies on Aristophenes' definition
> [ Plutus 553 ] -- " the life of a poor person ( PTWCOS ) is to live,
> having nothing at all, whereas the life of a needy person (PENHS ) is
> to live sparingly, dependent on toil " -- but I can't help wondering,
> though, if the LXX usage wouldn't have had more influence on Luke than
> Aristophenes <g>.
That the LXX would have had more influence on Luke than Aristophanes is
undoubtedly correct, and I doubt that Fitzmyer is implying otherwise.
There is, however, a lexicographical question at issue, it seems to me.
Unless it can be shown that a Septuagintal pairing of Greek X with
Hebrew Y has had an effect in the compositional/spoken language, one
ought not assume that a change of meaning has taken place. Since, for
example, PENICROS in all three LXX occurrences can be adequately
accounted for on the basis of its extra-LXX meaning, one ought not
assume a different meaning, just because of the fact that it renders
DL and (NY in the source text.
Al
> Regards,
>
> Maurice
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Maurice A. O'Sullivan [ Bray, Ireland ]
> mauros at iol.ie
>
>
> ---
> B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek
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>
—
Albert Pietersma
Professor of Septuagint and Hellenistic Greek
Near & Middle Eastern Civilizations
University of Toronto
Home: 21 Cross Street,
Weston ON Canada M9N 2B8
Email: albert.pietersma at sympatico.ca
Homepage: http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~pietersm
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