[B-Greek] A question of meaning
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at ioa.com
Mon Jan 9 13:25:03 EST 2006
On Jan 9, 2006, at 12:47 PM, Hightower, Joe C wrote:
> The verb ZHLEW has a fundamental definition referring to the intense
> emotional response to something.
I suppose you mean ZHLOW -- there is no verb ZHLEW.
BDAG offers two basic senses:
1. be positively and intensely interested in someth., strive, desire,
exert oneself earnestly, be dedicated (with impersonal or personal
object)
2. to have intense negative feelings over another’s achievements or
success, be filled w. jealousy, envy τινά toward someone
There are 11 instances of ZHLOW in the GNT: Acts 7:9, Acts 17:5,
1Cor. 12:31, 1Cor. 13:4, 1Cor. 14:1, 1Cor. 14:39, 2Cor. 11:2, Gal.
4:17, 4:18, James 4:2 and there are 16instances of ZHLOS in the GNT:
John 2:17, Acts 5:17, Acts 13:45, Rom. 10:2, Rom. 13:13, 1Cor. 3:3,
2Cor. 7:7, 2Cor. 7:11, 2Cor. 9:2, 2Cor. 11:2, 2Cor. 12:20, Gal. 5:20,
Phil. 3:6, Heb. 10:27, James 3:14 , James 3:16
> 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).
The noun ZHLOS (not the verb ZHLOW) appears in the listing of TA ERGA
THS SARKOS in Gal 5:19-21; I suppose you are pointing to ERIS or
perhaps ERIQEIAI as words that might belong to the same sphere as
ZHLOS in the sense of intense ill-will.
I rather think that the sense of ZHLOW when used negatively is that
of intense ill-will; it is much like Latin INVIDEO, which means "look
askance at" whether because one wants what the other party has or
because one wishes ill to the other party.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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