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

Arie Dirkzwager dirkzwager at pandora.be
Tue Jul 20 13:02:03 EDT 2004


Harold,

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.

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

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

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.

Arie


Dr. A. Dirkzwager
Hoeselt, Belgium
e-mail dirkzwager at pandora.be


----- Oorspronkelijk bericht -----
Van: "Harold R. Holmyard III" <hholmyard at ont.com>
Aan: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Verzonden: maandag 19 juli 2004 2:24
Onderwerp: [B-Greek] possible meanings of FUSIS ("nature")


> Dear B-Greekers,
>
> In another discussion group I gave Harold Hoehner's understanding of
> the phrase "children of wrath" in Eph 2:3
>
> >>HH: He explains the phrase "children of wrath" to mean "children
> >>destined to God's wrath." He says Paul makes it clear in Romans
> >>that it is their willful acts of transgression and disobedience
> >>that bring this wrath.
>
> Someone in response wondered what Mr. Hoehner meant by "children." In
> other words, was he using the word as part of a semiticism indicating
> one's quality of being; "son of disobedience" could signify
> "disobedient one" and "child of wrath" could imply "person deserving
> of wrath."
>
> I replied:
>
> HH: No, he does not refer to childhood but seems to support the idea
> of birth as entailing a natural destiny of becoming an object of
> God's anger. He says:
>
> The term TEKNA, "children," is similar to hUIOIS, "sons," mentioned
> in verse 2 [in Eph 2], but it denotes a closer relationship to the
> parent. The word "son" has "the thought of individual freedom, and
> the dignity or responsibility of personal choice," while "child"
> depicts a close relationship and dependence on the parent. One does
> not call an eighteen-year-old male in the family a child but a son.
> Thus to be a child of wrath is one who by his relationship to his
> parent or ancestor comes under God's wrath, as will be discussed
> below.
>
> HH: Then he talks about FUSIS [nature] and concludes that the meaning
> here is that of origin or descent:
>
> The dative could be instrumental or causal. We were, because of our
> ancestors, children of wrath. It is the natural endowment or
> condition inherited from our ancestors, particularly from Adam (Rom
> 5:12-21), that brings wrath. This fits well with the term TEKNA,
> "children," who have a close relationship to parents.
>
> HH: He ends the discussion of the verse talking about wrath and its
> universality:
>
> Lincoln correctly links this to original sin discussed in Rom 5:12-21
> where our natural ancestor, Adam, sinned and so we by nature are
> sinners. Accordingly, there is no way that men and women by
> themselves are able to escape this terrible dilemma. It is only God's
> intervening grace that can deliver us. It is this initiative that
> Paul discusses next.
>
> HH: One could argue that Hoehner is favoring the concept of original
> sin, whereas the wording may let the expressions "sons of
> disobedience" and "children of wrath" be grecized semitisms
> describing character. I think Hoehner would respond that his
> understanding of FUSIS determines his exegesis. It's interesting that
> he does not give the idea of a derived or developed, that is,
> secondary, nature as one of the possible meanings of FUSIS. He only
> gives 1) origin, source, or descent, 2) natural condition, state, or
> quality (e.g., natural lay of the land, or nature of the existence of
> the gods), and 3) the created world or nature. But BAGD does not give
> the idea of a developed or secondary nature either. In fact BAGD says
> about FUSIS at this verse: "we were, in our natural condition (as
> descendants of Adam) children of wrath." I can't really tell what LSJ
> allows, although they give "4. of the mind, one's nature, character."
> Usually one's mental character is a developed quality, but Greek may
> use FUSIS of one's natural character. That would be a good question
> for B-Greek-whether FUSIS could describe a developed character.
>
> 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.
>
> Yours,
> Harold Holmyard
>
>
> ---
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