[B-Greek] ANTI in Heb. 12:2 = local metaphor?
Webb
webb at selftest.net
Tue Jun 5 15:56:13 EDT 2007
.IHSOUN, hOS ANTI THS PROKEIMENHS AUTWi CARAS hUPEMEINEN STAURON (Heb. 12:2)
I'm not very happy with "For the joy set before him", and the like, because
it just doesn't seem to be what ANTI means. On the other hand, "instead of
the joy that lay before him" seems peculiar for the author to say. I have to
say that what comes to my imagination when I read this sentence is something
to the effect that Jesus metaphorically stands on one side of the cross, and
his joy lies opposite him on the other side, and to get there he has to
cross (sic) the cross. Reading the sentence that way, the implication would
be that Jesus, in order to get to the joy that lies on the opposite side of
the cross from him, endures the cross.
I see that HH made some comments on this verse recently, among which is
this:
The fact that Jesus is given as the supreme example [of endurance] suggests
that he also ran a race with a goal set before him.
I wonder if they had steeplechase-like races in the ancient Mediterranean
world-in which case maybe the author could be seeing Jesus' joy facing him
on the other side of the hazard of the cross in his race.
Thoughts, anyone?
Webb Mealy
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