[B-Greek] KAQOLIKOS = "complete" (versus "universal")?
George F Somsel
gfsomsel at juno.com
Tue Nov 29 10:30:14 EST 2005
On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 06:12:55 -0800 (PST) Eric Weiss
<papaweiss1 at yahoo.com> writes:
> 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?
_______________
That KAQOLIKOS signifies "general" as opposed to particular is, I think
fairly well established. In Justin's _Dialogue_, 102 he states
ALL' hWS EGINWSKE KALON EINAI GENESQAI, EPOIHSEN AUTECOUSIOUS PROS
DIKAIOPRACIAN KAI AGGELOUS KAI ANQRWPOUS; KAI XRONOUS hWRISE MEXRIS hOU
EGINWSKE KALON EINAI hOMOIWS EGNWRIZE, *** KAI KAQOLIKAS KAI MERIKAS
KRISEIS EPOIEI ***, PEFULAGMENOU MENTOI TOU AUTECOUSIOU.
"He made general and particular judgements" is the relevant phrase
Here KAQOLIKOS "general" is opposed to MERIKOS which is partial,
individual or particular.
george
gfsomsel
___________
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