[B-Greek] Heb 5:2TOIS AGNOOUSIN KAI PLANWMENOIS

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Sun Mar 16 17:08:08 EDT 2008


On Mar 14, 2008, at 10:04 AM, Iver Larsen wrote:

>> I am having some difficulty with this text. Take Aaron as an example
>> of a ARCIEREWS who PERIKEITAI ASQENEIAN. When Aaron manufactures the
>> golden calf is this a case that falls under the heading AKOUSIWS?
>
> I wouldn't think so. He knew the prohibition against making idols,  
> so I would not call this an unintentional sin.
>
>> Another question. Assuming in TOIS AGNOOUSIN KAI PLANWMENOIS the
>> subjects of the participles are coreferential, does that require us
>> to read this as a hendiadys? If not couldn't we understand AGNOOUSIN
>> KAI PLANWMENOIS are making reference to two different aspects of
>> human weakness with the same human subjects? In this case Aaron's
>> golden calf caper might fall under PLANWMENOIS but not under  
>> AGNOOUSIN.
>>
>
> Yes, I think these two can be seen as closely related but slightly  
> different. One thing is being ignorant, another thing is to be  
> misled. I would consider a sin being committed unintentionally -  
> AKOUSIWS - and in ignorance to be pretty close. One diffrerence  
> could be that after having done an unintentional sin, you know that  
> it was actually a sin even if it happened accidentally, but if you  
> are ignorant, you won't know afterwards that it was a sin.
> Aaron was clearly misled under pressure, but I don't think he could  
> claim ingorance.
>
>> A third question. Does Paul or the other epistles (not Hebrews) ever
>> make a clear distinction between AKOUSIWS and hEKOUSIWS in dealing
>> with post-baptismal  transgressions?
>
> The two words are antonyms, but the first is not used in the NT, so  
> it is difficult to say whether Paul makes a similar distinction  
> using different words. I am not aware of it.
> But it does seem that Heb 5:2 talks about unintentional, accidental  
> and excusable/pardonable sins, while 10:26 is the opposite: Clearly  
> intentional sinning and unpardonable rebellion.
>
> Iver Larsen


Thank you Iver,

It seems a little strange that Aaron would be mentioned as an example  
of someone called to the office of ARCIEREWS Heb 5:4 in the same  
context where there is an implied distinction between AKOUSIWS and  
hEKOUSIWS. If Aaron's golden calf fails to qualify as AKOUSIWS or  
exceeds the scope of KAI AUTOS PERIKEITAI ASQENEIAN, we end up with a  
ARCIEREWS who is not only unqualified to serve but also deserves to  
be expelled from the community.


HEB. 5:1 PAS GAR ARCIEREUS EX ANQRWPWN LAMBANOMENOS hUPER ANQRWPWN  
KAQISTATAI TA PROS TON QEON, hINA PROSFERHi DWRA TE KAI QUSIAS hUPER  
hAMARTIWN,  2 METRIOPAQEIN DUNAMENOS TOIS AGNOOUSIN KAI PLANWMENOIS,  
EPEI KAI AUTOS PERIKEITAI ASQENEIAN  3 KAI DI' AUTHN OFEILEI, KAQWS  
PERI TOU LAOU, hOUTWS KAI PERI AUTOU PROSFEREIN PERI hAMARTIWN.  4  
KAI OUC hEAUTWi TIS LAMBANEI THN TIMHN ALLA KALOUMENOS hUPO TOU QEOU  
KAQWSPER KAI AARWN.


Elizabeth Kline







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