Re: "The Stealth Bible Exposed"

From: Paul S. Dixon (dixonps@juno.com)
Date: Tue Jun 24 1997 - 14:53:38 EDT


On Tue, 24 Jun 97 13:00:53 EDT "James H. Vellenga" <jhv0@viewlogic.com>
writes:
>> From: dixonps@juno.com (Paul S. Dixon)
>> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 12:43:03 EDT
>>
>> It is entirely possible that ANQRWPOI and ADELPHOI (which often
>> refer to men and brothers respectively and exclusively but never
>> refer to women and sisters respectively and exclusively) are used
>> as a way of viewing or addressing the general population through
>> its male leadership. If men are the heads of their families, for
>> example, then an address or reference to them is an address or
>> reference to their bodies, their wives, and to their families.
>>
>> If so, then to translate ANQRWPOI and ADELPHOI as "mankind"
>> and "brothers and sisters" respectively would miss the mark.
>> It would ignore the male leadership motif.
>
>Maybe, but in my attempts to translate systematically (or
>as some would say "hyperliterally") I haven't found any cases
>that seemed to require a specifically male sense to the word.
>I would be interested to find a specific passage where it
>made a real difference. I'm wondering if one doesn't have to
>assume "the male leadership motif" in order to find it from
>the texts.

No, at least two passages come immediately to mind (Ro 5:12
and 1 Cor 15:21-22) where ANQRWPOS relates specifically to
men, Adam and Christ. Both are heads, Adam the head of the
fallen human race and Christ, the Head of the redeemed
people.

>It does appear, from collateral historical reading that I have
>done, that elders and their wives ministered separately within
>households -- the elders to the men, and their wives to the
>women and children, respectively.

But, you do not deny that the elders also ministered to their
wives and to the church, do you?
>
>When Paul talks about relations between husbands and wives, he
>uses ANER/ANDR- in the passages that come readily to mind.

Yes, but this does not prove that the use of ANQRWPOS does
not, nor can not do the same.

>There is one place where I have translated a possibly generic
>ADELFOS as "brother" rather than "brother [or sister]" --
>namely, Matthew 18.21 -- but that is because it occurred to
>me that, when Peter asks how many times he should forgive his
>brother, he might be asking about Andrew.

Paul S. DIxon



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