[B-Greek] Col 3:19 PIKRAINW
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Wed Aug 11 05:54:36 EDT 2010
----- Original Message -----
From: "Oun Kwon" <kwonbbl at gmail.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: 11. august 2010 03:31
Subject: [B-Greek] Col 3:19 PIKRAINW
> Col 3:19
>
> hOI ANDRES, AGAPATE TAS GUNAIKAS KAI MH PIKRAINESQE PROS AUTAS
>
> What an injunction!
> Even though I don't like 'be bitter' and prefer 'be harsh' in the
> meaning of PIKRAINW, what does it mean in the text?
>
> Husband getting bitter because of wife,
> or wife getting bitter because of husband?
>
> Or I am not on a right track?
>
> Oun Kwon
An interesting question. I can see that most English versions have gone for
"harsh". One problem I have with this is that I have not found anywhere else in
the NT or LXX where PIKRAINW, PIKRWS, PIKRIA or PIKROS are used in the sense of
"harsh". Another problem I have is that a passive verb form is used here. PIKROS
refers to something painful to the senses or feelings. When used as an adjective
qualifying a noun describing pain or sorrow, it can just be an intensifier
("strong").
Because of the passive, I think there is an intended implicit cause for the
husband to become bitter. True, he should not let that bitterness be expressed
in a harsh treatment of the wife. The best antidote against bitterness is
forgiveness, and I think Heb 12:15 with its bitter root is also relevant.
I cannot help thinking of the preceding verse where Paul asks the women to be
subject to their husbands. What if they don't? How does that affect to the
husband? Is that part of the context?
Iver Larsen
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