Re: PROSKNUEO

From: Chris Uzzi (chris@shop.internet.net)
Date: Thu Mar 28 1996 - 17:52:40 EST


Greetings and Grace to you all!!

Thank you for your clarafication on the meaning of PROSKUNEW. My question
is does this necessitate that such prostration is a work of the Spirit?

Thanks!!

~Chris~

>On 3/28/96, tom atkinson wrote:
>
>> Greetings!
>>
>> I am new to this list but am enjoying what I have read thus far. Very
>> informative.
>> I was wondering if anyone could provide me with a definition of the term
>> PROSKNUEO-"worship." Specifically, I am wondering about the etymology of
>> the word, how the word is used in the New Testament and what that entails
>> for us today. I have done my own research of the term, but would like to
>> hear fresh ideas from anyone on the list that could share it with me.
>>
>> One other thing. I had a professor who defines this word as "to be filled
>> with emotions so overwhelming that it brings us to our knees in awe and
>> adoration." What would you say to this definition.
>
>PROS-KUNEW does fundamentally mean "go to ones knees before," "worship,"
>even "grovel before," if you want to push those emotions and overtones of
>groveling at the feet of an oriental despot--that's where the whole notion
>comes from. So the fundamental notion is recognition of one's own humble
>status in the presence of one whose superiority and authority one
>acknowledges. Although it literally means "kneel before," therefore, it
>seems to me that it is more metaphorical in usage to express the worshipful
>stance of acknowledgement of one's own inadequacy and commitment to the
>power and authority of the one before whom one acknowledges one's
>helplessness and commitment.
>
>Carl W. Conrad
>Department of Classics, Washington University
>One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, USA 63130
>(314) 935-4018
>cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cwc@oui.com
>WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris Uzzi
chris@internet.net

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