[B-Greek] (no subject)

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Mon Jul 14 13:39:23 EDT 2008


On Jul 14, 2008, at 12:30 PM, Greg Sahlstrom wrote:

> Ron Fay,
>
> I appreciate the caution you expressed in your email (below), but
> since Jesus and Peter use the same word for love until the very end
> of the dialogue where Jesus changes and uses the word Peter had been
> using, couldn't one also conclude that the change of word is
> significant?  How would one know that it is otherwise?

You pays your money and you takes your choice! There's no more reason  
to believe that the change of word is significant than there is to  
believe it is not significant. As has been noted, the final command  
switches three times: BOSKE TA ARNIA MOU (vs. 15), POIMAINE TA PROBATA  
MOU (vs. 16), BOSKE TA PROBATA MOU (vs. 17). Peter is bidden to be  
Jesus' Shepherd, whether he BOSKEI or POIMAINEI and whether the flock  
are termed ARNIA or PROBATA, whether he FILEI Jesus or AGAPAi Jesus.

>
> Be careful with distinctions between the kinds of love in John simply
> because
>   John will often change words for stylistic variation rather than
> for actual
>   change in meaning. The most common mistake is made in the epilogue
> to the
>   Fourth Gospel where Jesus is "reinstating" Peter. Yes, the word
> love changes
>   from FILEW (twice) to AGAPAW. At the same time, please note that
> the words for
>   sheep and feed change also, and I really doubt anyone holds to the
> theological
>   significance of those words.
>
> Yes, John changes "types" of love, but it
>   does not necessarily mean
>   anything.
>
> ________________________________________________
> Ron C. Fay, PhD
> Cornerstone Community Church
> Wadsworth, IL
> roncfay at hotmail.com
>
> ---
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Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)






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