[B-Greek] A foolish question

Ron Bonica ron at bonica.org
Thu Sep 7 22:30:22 EDT 2006


Folks,

Please indulge this question from a newbe:

In the NT, I see four different words for "fool". These are:

- ASOFOS  (Eph 5:15)
- MWROS   (1 Cor 3:19)
- AFRONES (Eph 5:17)
- RAKA    (MT 5:22)

I understand that the first three words are Greek and the last is
Aramaic. However, from context I infer that the four words differ also
in emotional impact.

To be called "unwise" (ASOFOS) isn't so bad. From context, I assume that
the word MWROS is a bit of an insult. The word AFRONES is even more
insulting than that.

I am not sure what to make of the word RAKA. Did Matthew use the Aramaic
term because it was considered impolite to use the equivalent Greek
term? Of all the words in this passage, why did Matthew preserve that
one in Aramaic?

Am I reading too much into this?

                         Ron Bonica
                         Sterling, Va





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