[B-Greek] 1 Chron.29:20 LXX

Kaz alethinon61 at milwpc.com
Sat Feb 19 07:47:30 EST 2005


Hi Al,

Don't worry, you bear no responsibility for the comments I offered.  When I
pondered the question of whether the element of 'worship' was involved here
(long before this week), I ultimately determined that a negative answer is
implausible.  Historically, I don't believe that obeisance offered by the
Jews to their sovereign God would be likely to lack the element of worship.
However, I don't feel the burden that Brenton must have wrestled with,
because David was God's representative.  The problem is resolved when we
view the text in light of the concept of 'agency' (i.e. that the agent is
regarded as though he were the principal himself).  Homage or "worship" that
is offered  <to> an agent is homage that is offered <through> the agent to
the principal himself.  There are many biblical contexts where the principle
of agency can help us to resolve a perceived difficulty.  Another example
which may be just as startling as the verse in question, is Psalms 45:7,
where God himself may have called an earthly king "O God" (depending on what
translation you prefer).  B.F. Wescott may have reached a different
conclusion about Ps. 45 had he lived today, as an increasing number of
scholars are now interpreting such accounts according to the agency
paradigm.

I don't think that this question can be resolved on b-greek, because the
answer is not found in the grammar or the meaning of PROSKUNHSIS.
Interpretation and our understanding of history are the tools that we must
employ, and as Carl has reminded us many times, such tools are best utilized
on another list.

Sincerely,
Sean Kasabuske


Albert Pietersma wrote:

> >  Like Brenton, I can't imagine that the element
> > of worship would be missing in a context where the ancient Jews were
> > bowing before God in recognition of his sovereignty.  So how does one
> > deal with this difficulty?  I think that the principle of 'agency'
> > resolves the problem, as an agent was equated legally with the
> > principal
> > he represents (see George Wesley Buchanan's, "Biblical and Theological
> > Insights from Ancient and Modern Civil Law").
>
> It seems to me a problem is being created where there is no problem,
> and my  making reference to Alexander's PROSKUNHSIS debacle and
> Mordecai's rationalization in Esther may be partly responsible. Fact
> is, of course, that the LXX contains plenty of instances in which
> PROSKUNEW  indicates nothing more than a showing of deep respect. As a
> random example look at Gen 23:7 ANASTAS DE ABRAAM PROSEKUNHSEN TW LAW
> THS GHS, TOIS UIOIS XET.
> Thus the element of 'worship' Brenton injected into his text does not
> come from the verb per se.
> Al
>> 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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