[B-Greek] Construing 1 Peter 3:7 (was "ASQENESTERWi SKEUEI in 1Peter 3:7")
Bryant J. Williams III
bjwvmw at com-pair.net
Tue Jul 28 10:47:29 EDT 2009
Dear Yancey,
Although the reference to Medea are appreciated, yet the context of I Peter
3:5-6 gives enough examples, i.e. hAI GUNAIKES...ZARRA....
Furthermore, the particle, "hWS - likewise; in the same manner," seems to
indicate how the husbands are to be. hWS piggybacks on the previous phrase
hOUTWS GAR POTE KAI. All this indicates that the verses 1c-4 are the indicators
of the behavior required of a wife in subjection to her husband. This is quite
in keeping with the Jewish mindset that Peter has in writing to those in the
Diaspora in 1:1.
En Xristwi,
Rev. Bryant J. Williams III
----- Original Message -----
From: "Yancy Smith" <yancywsmith at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'greek B-Greek'" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 4:00 PM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Construing 1 Peter 3:7 (was "ASQENESTERWi SKEUEI in
1Peter 3:7")
> I would like to suggest some further reasons why (1) σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ
SKEUEI TWi GUNAIKEIWi should be construed with both συνοικοῦντες SUNOIKOUNTES or
ἀπονέμοντες APONEMONTES, and (2) that the meaning of ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ
γυναικείῳ hWS TWi GUNAIKEIWi, is rhetorically complex, indeed subversive. While
it has a negative connotation (beyond doubt), yet it implies what was understood
as a dangerous factor communicable to the man, or at least a factor which places
the male in jeapardy. In this case the "weakness" of the "womanly vessel"
actually puts the husband in a precarious position before God. If he does not
give her appropriate honor as a fellow heir of the gift of life, God will not
hear his prayers.
>
> On (1) there is not a problem with σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ SKEUEI TWi GUNAIKEIWi
fulfilling two different dative roles, because the indirect object of
ἀπονέμοντες is simply a result of ellipsis, which is common enough. Understood
this way, the problem Harold adduces simply vanishes, as does the phrase itself,
due to economy of style.
>
> On two, I think that some cultural background can help. This use of the
GUNAIKEIOS "power or 'virtue'" of a woman as a feature of females that place men
in danger or disadvantage is found in the language of Euripides, representing a
feature of Medea, who was a prominent theme in Roman domestic wall art (See
_Roman domestic art and early house churches_ By David L Balch). The
visualization of Medea brought the tragic figure into the world of the first
century, even though the texts of Euripides plays were written centuries
earlier. (The plays continued to be performed and remembered in the popular oral
culture as well). Medea, a deeply tragic Georgian (from Cholchis) sacrifices her
ancestral homeland for the man she loves only to have that man marry another
woman. The motif of the tragic female also comes up in the frequent portrayal of
Ariadne on Greco-Roman walls. But more to the point, GUNAIKEIOS 'virtue,' though
of the weaker sex, has a liminal, potentially dangerous quality:
>
> Examples:
> Euripides Trag., Fragmenta
> Fragment 502, line 5
> πλοῦτος δ' ἐπακτὸς ἐκ γυναικείων γάμων
> ἀνόνητος· αἱ γὰρ διαλύσεις <οὐ> ῥᾴδιαι.
> PLOUTOS D' EPAKTOS EK GUNAIKEIWN GAMWN
> ANONHTOS; hAI GAR DIALUSEIS <OU> RAiDIAI.
> Wealth acquired from womanly bonds of matrimony
> Is unprofitable, getting free from them is not easy
>
>
> Euripides Trag., Fragmenta
> Fragment 653, line 1
>
> ὦ παῖδες οἷον φίλτρον ἀνθρώποις φρενός
> κοινὸν γὰρ εἶναι χρῆν γυναικεῖον λέχος.
> O children! The desire men have is a charm
> For it is common to feel a strong need of the womanly bed.
> (YWS trans.)
> In the case of Medea, the chorus sings the reversal of the common, natural
order that takes place as she seeks her tragic revenge.
>
> Euripides Trag., Medea
> Line 417
>
> {Chorus}: ἄνω ποταμῶν ἱερῶν χωροῦσι παγαί,
> καὶ δίκα καὶ πάντα πάλιν στρέφεται·
> ἀνδράσι μὲν δόλιαι βουλαί, θεῶν δ'
> οὐκέτι πίστις ἄραρεν.
> τὰν δ' ἐμὰν εὔκλειαν ἔχειν βιοτὰν στρέψουσι φᾶμαι·
> ἔρχεται τιμὰ γυναικείωι γένει·
> οὐκέτι δυσκέλαδος φάμα γυναῖκας ἕξει.
> ANW POTAMWN hIERWN XWROUSI PAGAI,
> KAI DIKA PANTA PALIN STREFETAI;
> ANDRASI MEN DOLIAI BOULAI, QEWN D'
> OUKETI PISTIS ARAREN.
> TAN D'EMAN EUKLEIAN ECEIN BIOTAN STREYOUSI FAMAI;
> ERCETAI TIMA GUNAIKEIWN GENEI;
> OUKETI DUSKELADOS FAMA GUNAIKAS hEXEI.
> The waters in the sacred rivers
> are flowing in reverse.
> And all well-ordered things
> are once more turning on themselves.
> Men's plans are now deceitful,
> their firm trust in the gods is gone.
> My life is changing—common talk
> is giving me a better reputation.
> Honor is coming to the female sex.
> Slander will no longer injure women.
> (Ian Johnston, trans.)
>
> I think it could be that such a potential reversal is being alluded to in 1
Peter, a common domestic theme, that serves as a warning to abusive males. Give
appropriate honor to the woman, if not you will have to reckon with God.
>
> Yancy
>
>
>
>
>
> Yancy Smith
> Yancy W. Smith, PhD
> World Bible Translation Center
> 4028 Daley Ave., Suite 201
> Fort Worth, TX 76180
> p 817-595-1664
> f 817580-7013
> yancy at wbtc.org
>
> Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of
battle.
>
>
>
>
> ---
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>
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