[B-Greek] hO QEOS AGAPH ESTIN - I John 4:8,16
George F Somsel
gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Mon Jan 14 01:08:59 EST 2008
ἀγάπη [AGAPH] 26
Though it would be going too far to say that this important Biblical word was “born within the bosom of revealed religion,” it is remarkable that there have been only three supposed instances of its use in “profane” Greek, two of which are now read otherwise and the third is doubtful. Deissmann originally cited P Par 493 (b.c. 164–58) in this connexion (Bibelstudien, p. 80f.); but in the English edition (BS, p. 198f.) he admitted that the restoration ταραχήν must be substituted. Next Hatch in JBL xxvii. 2, p. 134ff. cited an inscription of the Imperial period, from Tefeny in Pisidia, giving the mantic significance of various throws of the dice: πένψει δʼ εἰς ἀγά[πη]ν σε φιλομμειδὴς Ἀφροδείτη [PENYEI D' EIS AGA[[PH]]N SE FILOMMEIDHS AFRODEITH]. But Prof. Deissmann now calls our attention to a Breslau dissertation by F. Heinevetter Würfel-und Buchstabenorakel in Griechenland und
Kleinasien (1912), where it seems to be proved (p. 10) that εἰς ἀγαθόν [EIS AGAQON] must be read in the line we have quoted. There remains only the citation (Crönert, Lex. s.v.) of διʼ ἀ[γ]άπης ἐ[ναρ]γοῦς [DI' A[[G]]APHS E[[NAR]]GOUS] from the Herculaneum papyri of Philodemus the Epicurean (i/b.c.), with the note “(sicher?).”
The history of this word is so crucial for the orientation of the Biblical Greek vocabulary that we must pursue it in some detail. Deissmann’s argument from Thayer’s Philonic citation of ἀγάπη is repeated in the English BS (p. 199) without regard to Ramsay’s criticism (Exp T ix. p. 568). And Deissmann certainly seems justified in asserting that in the Quod Deus immut. (p. 283 M = Cohn-Wendland, ed. min., p. 69) Philo is not taking the word from the LXX, unless Wisd 3:9 (love towards God) 6:18 (love of Wisdom) may be taken as the models for his ennobled use of the word. For in LXX it is used 14 times of sexual love (Jer 2:2 figuratively), and twice in antithesis to μῖσος [MISOS]: Sir 48:11 א [Sinaiticus] is the only other occurrence besides those from Wisdom. Aristeas (ii/i b.c.) has the word (§ 229) in the higher sense, and may stand with the author of Wisdom as the earliest to adapt it to this purpose. In its
redemption from use as a mere successor to the archaic ἔρως [ERWS], Alexandrian Jews of i/b.c. seem to have led the way. The fact that its use was very restricted made it easier to annex for a special purpose. Since the Song of Songs (where it occurs 11 times) could hardly be proved to have existed for the NT writers, there were virtually no other associations before their minds; and the appropriation of ἀγαπᾶν [AGAPAN] and ἀγάπη [AGAPH] proceeded side by side. As the record of its use in Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotion shows (see HR), the word retained in independent circles the connotations we find in Cant and Eccl, and grew slightly more common. In late Christian papyri we find it narrowed like our “charity”: Crönert cites P Gen I. 147 (iv/v a.d.) and P Lond 7758 (viii/a.d.) (= I. p. 234). On the Christian use of Ἀγάπη [AGAPH] as a proper name see W. M. Ramsay C. and B., ii. p. 492f.
Moulton, J. H., & Milligan, G. (1930). The vocabulary of the Greek Testament. Issued also in eight parts, 1914-1929. (2). London: Hodder and Stoughton.
george
gfsomsel
… Christian, search for truth, hear truth,
learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth,
defend the truth till death.
- Jan Hus
_________
----- Original Message ----
From: Richard Ghilardi <qodeshlayhvh at juno.com>
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 11:37:44 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] hO QEOS AGAPH ESTIN - I John 4:8,16
Hello Folks,
hO QEOS AGAPH ESTIN
Can anyone tell me whether this statement is novel with the apostle John?
IOW, is there any Greek writer prior to the late first century A.D. who
makes this exact categorical statement either with or without the copula?
I'm not concerned with expressions like hO QEOS hO AGAPWN or hO QEOS
HGAPHSEN (cf. KAGW SE HGAPHSA - Is. 43:4 LXX) which are not categorical.
Nor do I care about categorical statements which do not contain the word
AGAPH, like:
hO QEOS FILIA ESTIN
hO QEOS STORGH ESTIN
hO QEOS ERWS ESTIN
So, my friends, do any Greek writers before the Christian era make the
categorical statement hOTI hO QEOS AGAPH ESTIN in just those words?
Yours in His grace,
Richard Ghilardi - qodeshlayhvh at juno.com
West Haven, Connecticut USA
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