[b-greek] ABUSSOS

From: Jason Hare (parousia_occ@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Jul 07 2000 - 04:02:02 EDT


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<P>Fellow members,</P>
<P>I was just thinking about the word ABUSSOS.&nbsp; I know from reading the Revelation (20.1,3; ...ECONTA THN KLEIN THS ABUSSOU... KAI ELABEN AUTON EIS THN ABUSSON KAI EKLEISEN KAI ESFRAGISEN...) and as far back as the Prayer of Manasseh (1.3; ..hO KLEISAS THN ABUSSON KAI SFRAGISAMENOS AUTHN TWi FOBERWi KAI ENDOXWi ONOMATI SOU...) that the word alluded to some place which could be locked.&nbsp; You might even get the implication of water from the latter (because of its connection with THN QALASSAN in the same verse).</P>
<P>My question is this: can there be constructed a clear meaning as to what kind of image came to mind for a person of Christian/Jewish mentality who spoke Greek in the first century AD when he heard the word ABUSSOS?&nbsp; </P>
<P>From the OT (not having a Concordance of the LXX) I found that ABUSSOS was used for the Hebrew TeHoM in Genesis 1.2 and 7.11.&nbsp; Both of those connect it with water (...and darkeness was upon the face of the ABUSSOS/TeHoM [connected next with HaMaYiM—the waters]... and the fountains [LXX, PHGAI] of the great ABUSSOS/TeHoM were broken up [causing the Flood]...).</P>
<P>Yet, the picture from Revelation seems to give a (completely) different view of what the ABUSSOS was.&nbsp; It mentions smoke rising from it (9.2; ...KAI ANEBH KAPNOS EK TOU FREATOS hWS KAPNOS KAMINOU MEGALHS...) and that it has a "pit" (FREAR).&nbsp; It seems like these two ideas connected to this one word are in opposition to each other.&nbsp; A position that I would offer up for scrutiny would be that the word refers specifically to a immense depth (whether empty or filled [with water or fire]) and the seemingly endless profundity of it.&nbsp; What do you think, friends?&nbsp; For I respect your comments more than my own guesses.&nbsp; Thanks in advance.</P>
<P>In Christ,<BR>Jason Hare</P>
<P>Ozark Christian College<BR>1111 N. Main<BR>Joplin, MO&nbsp; 64801<BR>http://www.occ.edu</P><p><br><hr size=1><b>Do You Yahoo!?</b><br>
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