[B-Greek] Jude 3
J.M. Pauw
jmpauw at hotmail.com
Sat Nov 29 15:21:33 EST 2008
Exegetes of this verse often assume two different topics that Jude had been willing to write about, one being the common salvation and one being the exhortation to battle for the faith. This seems to be the reason for your stressing the word BUT.
BUT I think the Greek text gives two reasons for thinking that it is one and the same topic that Jude was willing to write about:
First, I question whether THS KOINHS (hJMWN) SWTHRIAS should be rendered 'common salvation'. In fact, these words are the Greek translation of the Latin terminus technicus 'salus communis', being understood as 'common welfare', especially in the political sense of the common welfare under the protection of the Roman Empire. In short: the words are to be understood as synonym for 'national security / safety' (I don't know which one is the appropriate English word, but I'm sure you will understand me).
So, I suppose, Jude is using this political expression giving it an ecclesiastic meaning: he was going to write about the ecclesiastic security, because this security was threatened by TINES ANQRWPOI (Jude 4). And just this threatening of the ecclesiastic security is the reason for PASAN SPOUDHN POIOUMENOS GRAFEIN.
Second, since a present participle is used to be translated as simultaneous with the main verb of the clause, I understand Jude being worried about the situation in the church / congregation, and WHILE thinking about what to write about this topic, he was urged to write an exhortation.
So I should not translate 'in haste', but 'in my diligence / seriousness to write about our / your (see variants) common security (having in mind the security of the church / congregation), I felt the urge necessity to write you with the exhortation to ....'
Michel Pauw
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.jmpauw.nl
YOUR MESSAGE
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:02:05 -0500
From: rhutchin at aol.com
Subject: [B-Greek] Jude 3
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
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In Jude 3, we read,
AGAPHTOI PASAN SPOUDHN POIOUMENOS GRAFEIN hUMIN PERI THS KOINHS hHMWN SWTHRIAS ANAGKHN ESCON GRAYAI hUMIN PARAKALWN EPAGWNIZESQAI THi hAPAX PARADOQEISHi TOIS hAGIOIS PISTEI
1.? What is the sense of this verse?? Is it:
a.? In haste I write this; the reason is that it is necessary that?
b.? I was eager to write of salvation, BUT then I determined that I needed to write instead to?
c.? something else.
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