[B-Greek] 1 Corinthians 7:27 *LELUSAI* APO GUNAIKOS?

Jonathan Robie jwrobie at mindspring.com
Fri Jul 18 10:28:29 EDT 2008


Carl Conrad wrote:
>
> On Jul 18, 2008, at 7:55 AM, Jonathan Robie wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to understand the meaning of λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; (LELUSAI
>> APO GUNAIKOS) in 1 Corinthians 7:27. Does the phrase λέλυσαι ἀπὸ
>> γυναικός (LELUSAI APO GUNAIKOS) mean "released from a woman", as in
>> divorced, or just "free of a woman"? Translations go both ways. In other
>> words, is a previous state of marriage presumed?
>
> Compare the usage of LUW and DEW with regard to ecclesiasatical 
> decisions regarding membership in (Mt 5:19f, 16:18-19, 18:18. The 
> simplest way of putting these distinctions, I think, is "dissolve an 
> association" and "make an association binding." What is presumed, I 
> think, is not a "state of marriage" in terms of some sanction by state 
> or religion as, more simply, a deliberate association. LELUSAI APO 
> GUNAIKOS; MH ZHTEI GUNAIKA -- "you've got quit from a woman? Don't go 
> looking for a woman." And remember, of course, that Greek makes no 
> distinction between GUNH as "woman" and "wife." A woman in a 
> "deliberate association" is a wife.

That makes sense. But you seem to disagree with the BDAG note, or at 
least it does not seem to affect your interpretation. Is that fair?

I hadn't thought of the possibility that LUW was used precisely to be 
more general than marriage and divorce.

Jonathan



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