[B-Greek] KAQOLIKOS = "complete" (versus "universal")?
Eric Weiss
papaweiss1 at yahoo.com
Tue Nov 29 09:12:55 EST 2005
I have read that "catholic" can mean both "universal"/"general" and KATA + hOLOS or
hOLIKOS = "according to the whole" = "complete." I.e., when Ignatius and later the
Nicene Creed used the term "catholic church," they could have been referring to it
being the completeness/fullness of the Gospel/Christ, and not necessarily meaning
that it was geographically everywhere.
Ignatius wrote: "Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there; just as
wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church" (Letter to the Smyrnaeans, and
the first use of the term, apparently). To me, the meaning "whole/complete," as
opposed to "geographically everywhere," seems more fitting in this instance, but I do
not recall finding much support in LSJ or BDAG for it meaning "whole/complete."
Perhaps KAQOLOS (i.e., KATA + hOLOS, but this is a non-existent word) might
mean "complete," but it doesn't seem to be a definition for KAQOLIKOS. Any
thoughts?
Eric S. Weiss
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