[B-Greek] KATALUMA & PANDOCEION
john
johneill at tiscali.co.uk
Mon Nov 19 18:25:58 EST 2007
A recent article in Christianity magazine includes a discussion of Luke 2.1-7 (The Birth of Jesus) and suggests that the word KATALUMA (usually translated 'inn') more probably refers to a guest-house. It's an attractive proposition, which I have heard several times recently, but how far is it justified? I tried to look the word up for myself, but have ended up slightly confused
The writer of the article points out that Luke 22.11 uses KATALUMA for the upper room ('guestchamber' in the AV) where Jesus intends to eat the Last Supper with his disciples, and that in Luke 10:34 (The Good Samaritan) the wounded man is taken to a PANDOCEION. He suggests that, since Luke is usually very careful to choose exactly the right word, it is likely that there was 'no room' in the guest-room or sleeping quarters on the upper floor of an ordinary house rather than the inn, and that Mary & Jesus & Joseph may simply have shared the ground floor of the house with a few domestic animals.
My rather ancient Liddell & Scott (9th edition, revised by HS Jones) gives 'lodging' as the main meaning of KATALUMA, & references LXX Ex.4.24, and Ev.Marc.14.14 (Mark 14.14 is the verse referring to the upper room exactly as in Luke 22.11)
For PANDOCEION the meaning given is 'inn'
Strong's Concordance gives KATALUW as the root of KATALUMA. He says the proper meaning of KATALUMA is 'a dissolution (breaking up of a journey)', and by implication 'a lodging place:- guestchamber, inn'.
For PANDOCEION he gives the root meaning as 'all-receptive, ie a public lodging-place (caravanserai or khan): inn'
This is only the second time I have tried to post here, so will you please accept my apologies if I have inadvertently broken any rules?
Eileen
(Birmingham, UK)
>From Eileen England (johneill at tiscali.co.uk)
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