[B-Greek] TIMWSI TON HUION KAQWS TIMWSI TON PATERA
Danny Andre' Dixon
bereandad2003 at yahoo.com
Thu Jun 1 02:17:09 EDT 2006
While perusing Volume 2 of j. p. J. P. Louw and E.A. Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains ([New York: United Bible Societies, 1989], p. 128), I discovered the five ranges of meaning for KAQWS, namely:
a. "to the degree that"/"just as" . . . 78.53
b. "inasmuch as"/"because" . . . 89.34
c. "just as"/"in comparison to" . . . 64.14
d. "when"/"at the time of" . . . 67.33
e. "how"/"in what manner" . . . 89.86
More explicit breakdowns as indicated in the reference sections following the definitions revealed the following range of meanings:
a. "in accordance with a degree as specified by the context --' to the degree that, just as' " (L&N, p. 693).
b. "a marker of cause or reason, often with the implication of some implied comparieson -- ' inasmuch as, because' " (L&N, p. 782).
c. "markers of similarity in events and states, with the possible implication of something being in accordance with something else --' just as, in comparison to' " (L&N, p. 619).
d. "markers of a point of time which is simultaneous to or overlaps with another point of time --' when, at the time of ' " (L&N, p. 633).
e. "markers of an event indicating how something took place" -- 'how, in what manner' (L&N, p. 789).
A few notes:
1. The sense of degree for KAQWS "Just as" is a term that can represent DEGREE as well as to indicate the possible implication of something being in accord with something else in a weaker, or less than equal, sense."
2. The sense of cause for KAQWS "inasmuch as" and "because" are not a similar category indicating similarity.
I could not help but think of the possibilities of lexical meanings for the use of the word in John 5:23, namely
a. " . . . that all may honor the Son to the degree that/just as they honor the Father"
b. " . . . that all may honor the Son inasmuch as/because they honor the Father"
c. " . . . that all may honor the Son just as/incomparison to they honor the Father"
d. " . . . that all may honor the Son when they honor the Father"
e. " . . . that all may honor the Son how/in what manner they honor the Father"
Does anyone have any comments on any essential lexical considerations present at John 5:23 or other passages, given the range of meanings in the use of the Greek word KAQOS?
Danny Andre' Dixon, M.A. in Bible
from Abilene Christian University
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