[B-Greek] 1 Thess 4:11 φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἡσυχάζειν
Carl Conrad
cwconrad2 at mac.com
Wed Nov 3 08:59:57 EDT 2010
On Nov 3, 2010, at 5:35 AM, Rick Carlton wrote:
>
> Any suggestions for a meaningful translation of φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἡσυχάζειν in 1 Thess 4:11. I've looked at all the major lexicons and translations yet have desired more. In the crudest form I get to love and honor "to rest or "retirement"" It seems to me that this passage may be accurately used to teach entrepreneurship (πράσσειν τὰ ἴδια)and even competitive philanthropy (φιλοτιμεῖσθαι). An aspiration based on the one valuing rest/relaxation which motivates one to engage his or her own business and to work that business with their own hands leads to self-sufficiency and a reputation among the community.
It's been a long time since I've carefully read through 1 Thessalonians, but these verses (4:9-11) do appear focused upon exhortation to good behavior, perhaps in a context of overanxious eschatological expectation, the special focus of chapter 5.
Text: 1 Thess 4:10-11 ... Παρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, περισσεύειν μᾶλλον 11 καὶ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἡσυχάζειν καὶ πράσσειν τὰ ἴδια καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς [ἰδίαις] χερσὶν ὑμῶν, καθὼς ὑμῖν παρηγγείλαμεν, ...
[... PARAKALOUMEN DE hUMAS, ADELFOI, PERISSEUEIN MALLON 11 KAI FILOTIMEISQAI hHSUCAZEIN KAI PRASSEIN TA IDIA KAI ERGAZESQAI TAIS [IDIAIS] CERSIN hUMWN, KAQWS hUMIN PARHGGEILAMEN, ...]
FILOTIMIA is a striving for preeminence, often with a pejorative overtone; FILOTIMEISQAI is the corresponding verb with overtones of wanting to be "king on the mountain." I think it's being used in an ironic sense in this context; it is coupled with PERISSEUEIN, "excel" and with the complementary infinitival expressions hHSUCAZEIN "keep still", PRASSEIN TA IDIA "mind one's own business" and ERGAZESQAI TAIS [IDIAIS] CERSIN hUMWN "keep one's hands busy."
I would not understand PRASSEIN TA IDIA in terms of "entrepreneurship"; the phrase traditionally is equivallent to SWFRONEIN "self-control" and opposed to POLUPRAGMONEIN, "be a meddler."
Consequently I'm inclined to understand this text as an exhortation to endeavor heartily to work industriously at one's own job. I don't think FILOTIMEISQAI hHSUCAZEIN is to be wrenched out of its context but seen within it, perhaps in the sense of, "outdo each other in doing your own job."
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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