[B-Greek] The limitation of proseuxomai in the New Testament

Edward Andrews edandrews at adelphia.net
Sun Jul 16 04:55:54 EDT 2006


Marc Taylor

[proseuchomai] An interesting ex. of this verb, which is always used of 
prayer to the gods or to God,...---Moulton/Milligan.


[deesis]...It is clear that the word is a strong one, even if the language 
of exaggeration will employ it where "request" would express the 
sense:...The noun and its original verb deomai retain connexion with the 
idea of "need"; and deesis was thus ready for its special NT use of 
"entreaty" towards God---we recall Trench's epigram defining prayer as "the 
mighty utterance of a mighty need."---Moulton/Milligan.


[enteuchis] The usage of the word in 1 Tim 2:1, 4:5, is readily explained by 
its constant recurrence in the papyri and inscriptions as a kind of "vox 
sollemnis" for a "petition" of any kind:...---Moulton/Milligan.


[proseuchomai] "To pray," "to pray to," "to ask," "prayer," "petitionary 
prayer." While deisthai almost always denotes asking, proseuchesthai 
contains no narrower definition of content and refers to calling on God. The 
nouns are harder to disdinguish. Both may denote prayer as a habit or single 
act....The difference seems to be in content; deesis is more specific (cf 
Lk. 1:13 and Acts 10:31). Yet this should not be pressed in view of the 
deeseis and proseuchas of 1 Tim. 2:1.----TDNT


[enteuchis] 1. This noun has such varied senses as "encounter," "dealings," 
"conversation," "conduct," and "petition."

2. It means "conversation" in 2 Macc. 4:8.

3. i 1 Tim. 2:1 "intercession" is the fairly obvious sense. while in 1 Tim. 
4:4 it means "thanksgiving," perhaps in the sense of "grace" at meals.

4. Hermas used the term for "prayer" either as a petition or more broadly. 
In 2 Clem. 19:1 it has the force of "address" and in 1 Clem. 63:2 of 
"concern."---TDNT.


[enteuchis] a lighting upon. 2. converse, intercourse. 3. a petition, 
intercession, thanksgiving. 4. reading, study.---Liddell & Scott.


Edward Andrews

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marc Taylor" <naigogaiju at yahoo.com>
To: <B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 2:16 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] The limitation of proseuxomai in the New Testament


> Greetings,
>
> In terms of the word proseuxomai Thayer says,
> "everywhere of prayers to the gods, or to God [cf.
> deesis fin.]". Not one time is this Greek word used
> for a false god in the New Testament but is so in
> Isaiah 44:17 and 45:20 in the LXX (Septuagint). Notice
> that Thayer wrote "cf. deesis" showing these words are
> synonymous. In fact, under "deesis" it reads that
> deesis, proseuxomai and enteuxis are all synonyms. The
> definition he gives for enteuxis is "used of prayer to
> God". For deesis he writes "in the N.T. requests
> addressed by men to God". Also in the definition of
> deesis the noted linguist Professor Grimm wrote
> concerning proseuxomai that it "is a word of sacred
> character, being limited to the prayer of God."
> And finally W.E. Vine states in his Expository
> Dictionary of New Testament Words concerning
> proseuxomia that "in the NT is always addressed to
> God."
>
> Two things I am curious about:
> 1. What do Moulton and Milligan say concerning
> proseuxomai in their lexicon "The Vocabulary of the
> Greek Testament".
> 2. Do other lexicons state anything along the lines
> of what was written above?
>
> Thanks
>        - Naigogaiju
>
>
>
>
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