[B-Greek] poneros & related words

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Thu Aug 9 12:41:05 EDT 2007


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Wade" <swadie at zipworld.com.au>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>


>I wonder if you can help me understand the meaning of poneros with a
> practical example?  If I have correctly understood these other words and
> their application: how does poneros relate to them?
>
> Hamartia: Trying to get it right, but falling short
>
> Kakos: the stench of evil, loathsome

A few excerpts from Richard C. Trench (Synonyms of the NT) may be helpful.

He says about hAMARTIA:
"When sin is contemplated as hAMARTIA, it is regarded as a failing or 
missing the true end and scope of our lives... We may compare the German 
'fehlen'."

I am not sure that trying to get it right is implied, but certainly failing 
in some way.

Then about KAKOS and PONHROS he says:
"KAKOS, the constant antithesis to AGAQOS affirms of that which it 
characterizes that qualities and conditions are wanting there which would 
constitute it worthy of the name which it bears...thus KAKA hEIMATA are mean 
or tattered garments, KAKOS IATROS a physician wanting in the skill which 
physicians should possess, KAKOS KRITHS an unskilful judge. So, too in the 
Scriptures it is often used without any ethical intention. Often, however, 
it assumes one, thus KAKOS DOULOS is a servant wanting in that fidelity and 
diligence which are properly due from such...
But the PONHROS is ... the active worker out of evil... In PONHROS the 
positive activity of evil comes far more decidedly than in KAKOS, the word 
therefore being constantly opposed to CRHSTOS, or the good contemplated as 
the useful... The KAKOS may be content to perish in his own corruption, but 
the PONHROS is not content unless he is corrupting others as well... Satan 
is emphatically hO PONHROS as the first author of all the mischief in the 
world."

In short, KAKOS is pretty close to English "bad" or sometimes "wrong" rather 
than "evil", whereas PONHROS is pretty close to English "evil, wicked" 
rather than just "bad".
If we ignore the Hebrew idiom "evil eye", I have only found one place in the 
GNT where "evil" is not commonly used as a translation of PONHROS. It is an 
interesting example, so I'll quote it here:

Mat 7:17 hOUTWS PAN DENDRON AGAQON KARPOUS KALOUS POIEIN
TO DE SAPRON DENDRON KARPOUS PONHROUS POIEIN.

I think the reason for PONHROS rather than KAKOUS here is that this is a 
metaphor. The topic is not trees but people, who can be PONHROI just like a 
tree can be KAKON or as here SAPRON (rotten).

Tthis is one of the few places where I think the KJV and RSV are better than 
modern translations, because it says:
"so (likewise) every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt 
(rotten) tree bringeth forth evil fruit."

It is surprising to hear of a tree producing "evil fruit", but I think it 
would have been equally surprising to the original Greek audience, leading 
them to think of "evil deeds" from rotten people rather than just bad fruit 
from a tree. Every good person/tree produces praiseworthy fruit/deeds, but 
rotten people/trees produce evil fruit/deeds.

Iver Larsen




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