[B-Greek] A question of meaning

Hightower, Joe C joe.c.hightower at boeing.com
Mon Jan 9 12:47:38 EST 2006


The verb ZHLEW has a fundamental definition referring to the intense
emotional response to something.

The meaning in context is important because it can mean 'zeal' if the
response is good such as 'zeal for the Lord', or it can refer to the
intense desire to have what another has (envy) or to keep to oneself
something or someone the individual has (jealousy) when used in a more
negative sense.  Even the latter meaning depends on the context; it is
possible to be jealous for the right reasons, when it represents zeal
for purity. (2 Corinthians 11:2)

In 1 Corinthians 13:4 the NIV translates the word as envy, the NASB uses
jealousy.  The context is obviously negative; this is something that
Love is not.  I think that the meaning of envy is more likely, since the
context is focused on the way love acts towards others within the body
of Christ.  In most of those relationships, the person who is to love
does not necessarily have a possibility of keeping another to
themselves.

My question is this, could Paul have a more expansive view, could he be
referring to ZHLEW used wrongly regardless of the relationship?  In
essence, could he refer to envy and jealousy at the same time?  There is
a passage where he refers to both, but uses a word specific to jealousy
and ZHLEW referring to envy. (Galatians 5:19-21).

Any comments?

Joe Hightower




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