[B-Greek] EK TOU KOSMOU from the world, or of the world.
Oun Kwon
kwonbbl at gmail.com
Tue Nov 11 23:20:48 EST 2008
That as Jesus' disciples were "in the world but not of the world", so are we
the believers. I thought this is a phrase verbatum in the Bible. I have
found not quite so, but as a composite from different sayings in G-Jn Ch. 13
to 15.
As to the expression '*not of the world*' as such, this is the train of my
thought and I like to clear my confusion.
We are in the world.
We were of the world (before we came to believe in Him).
Being/having been (out of) from the world,
we are no longer of the world.
so far so good.
Then, in Jn 15:19 we read:
(a) EI *EK TOU KOSMOU* HTE
hO KOSMOS AN TO IDION EFILEI
(b) OTI DE *EK TOU KOSMOU* *OUK* ESTE
(c) ALL EGW EXELEXAMHN UMAS *EK TOU KOSMOU*
DIA TOUTO MISEI UMAS hO KOSMOS
Three occurrences of EK TOU KOSMOU in this verse. The first two are in the
form of 'to be EK TOU KOSMOU (of the world; belonging to the world)'.
While the last one is in the form of 'to chose EK TOU KOSMOU' (out of the
world).
English translations of the phrase in (a) & (b) read as '*of the world*'
(in KJV and many), or '*belonging to the world*' (in NET and many). ALT
put these as *"from the world*'. Most translates (c) '*out of the world*'.
As far as I can hear in English, 'of' and 'out of' are opposite in sense. If
they are *not *'of the world', then should mean they are* *'out of the
world' = 'from the world".
It seems strange to me that the same Greek phrase EK TOU KOSMOU be
understood somehow in two opposite senses. Is it because of different
verbal phrases (with 'be' and with 'do')? The first two are in the form of
'to be EK TOU KOSMOU (of the world; belonging to the world)', while the last
one is in the form of 'to chose EK TOU KOSMOU' (out of the world).
Or is there an error somewhere in the line of my thinking? I wonder whether
ALT makes me confused?
Thank you for straightening my brain,
Oun Kwon.
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