[B-Greek] Do You Love Me?

David E. Kiefer, Registrar dkiefer at fuller.edu
Tue Apr 24 02:06:37 EDT 2007


Most of the discussions about synonyms leave out the whole area of 
literary style. It is very common in the Old and New Testaments to use 
words and phrases that, in a given context, are used synonymously 
("prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" [Isaiah 40:3, 
Mark 1:3] or "that you be united in the same mind and the same 
understanding" [1 Cor 1:10]). Words can both be interchangeable and be 
used with different meanings when desired.

I believe it was Leon Morris in his "Studies in the Fourth Gospel" who 
wrote about the extensive use of synonyms as a possible feature of the 
style of John. In this same passage in John 20, remember the responses: 
"Feed my lambs . . . Tend my sheep." And all the focus on AGAPAW and 
FILEW overlooks perhaps the most important part of this episode: that 
Jesus is giving Peter three chances to afffirm his devotion, one for 
each denial, and with each response Jesus restores the leadership role 
that Peter had abdicated by his denial.

We don't pay much attention to concerns about words being used 
synonymously when the words do not seem to have theological 
significance. No one notices that in the space of only a few verses in 
Acts, three different words are used to refer to where they locked up 
the apostles (Acts 5:23).

There is certainly a time for precision in the use of words, but there 
is a whole other level of the use of words in which style, imagery, 
emphasis, and  other such functions of language -- any language -- 
transcend that capability for precision. The trick is in perceiving 
which is in play at any given time.

Ron Bonica wrote:
> Folks,
>
> Please pardon a newbie question:
>
> In John 21:15, Jesus asks Peter, "AGAPAC ME PLEON TAUTWN". Peter replies
> "NAI KURIE, SU OIDAS HOTI FILW SE".
>
> Peter has switched verbs. It seems that the appropriate answer would
> have been "NAI KURIE, SU OIDAS HOTI AGAPW SE". Is there some reason why
> that reply would have been ungrammatical or inappropriate? If not, are
> the words "AGAPW" and "FILW" one hundred percent identical in meaning.
> Or is there some shade of difference between them?
>
>                                             Ron
> ---
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-- 
__________________________

David E. Kiefer, Registrar and Instructor in Greek
Fuller Theological Seminary
135 N Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA  91182
 
dkiefer at fuller.edu
Phone 626-584-5409
Fax   626-584-5564	




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