[B-Greek] ARSENOKOITHS: Did I get this right?

Jim West jwest at highland.net
Tue Mar 15 12:39:52 EST 2005


>If I am right, then we can't
>assume that Paul (and / or A N Other) chose the words carefully for a
>particular meaning in this context, rather that a whole range of words
>signifying various forms of disapproved behaviour are simply collected
>together for the overall rhetorical effect, rather than the precise sin.
>In other words, we probably can't say what *exactly* is being talked about,
>because the intent is only to talk *generally*.
>This is one case where the linguistic contribution to the broader
>interpretive question is very limited.
>
>Doug Chaplin
>Droitwich UK
>
It seems that if Paul wanted to be "general" he would simply have spoken 
of "sin"- as he does, for instance, when he says "all have sinned and 
fallen short of the glory of God".  That he here uses specific words 
means that he has something specific in mind.  Paul can be general when 
he wants to.  Clearly here he doesn't want to- he wants to be specific 
and so he is.  His coining a word shows how interested he is in being 
precise.

Jim

-- 
Jim West

Biblical Studies Resources -  http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
Biblical Theology Weblog -  http://biblical-studies.blogspot.com





More information about the B-Greek mailing list