[b-greek] Re: Rom.1:5: hUPAKOH PISTEWS

From: Mark Wilson (emory2oo2@hotmail.com)
Date: Sat Sep 09 2000 - 16:29:23 EDT


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Carl:

I have a question, sir.

I said:

> >I might not even consider this personification of faith "a little bit
> >bizarre." This personification seems more than natural to me. Wouldn't
> >surprise me if Luke picked up this technique from his teacher, Paul.

To which you responded:

>Nevertheless I DO consider "The
>Faith" to be rather bizarre as a personification in ancient Greek, however
>normal and even well-accepted it may be in an English...


Do not you sense from the NT writers that they were very much aware of these
"unique" documents being assembled, known to us today as the New Testament?
(Jude, for example, identified them as the faith once for all delivered;
Peter referred to the writings of Paul, etc.)

Let me clarify what I mean:

You said that the personification of The Faith seems a bit bizarre in
"ancient Greek." Are you referring to Homeric? Classical? Hellenistic?
Attic? Koine? etc. Or, are you referring to the writings of the Apostles and
their associates?

The reason I ask is because of the comment I had made. I did not think it
"bizarre" that such a concept as personifying "faith" seemed at all odd in
the context of the unique documents of the New Testament. Especially in
light of your seeing "personification" as far back as the Old Testament,
later with SOPHIA, and hO LOGOS etc.

To me, since you agreed (I think) that personifying various concepts was not
at all unheard of, in what sense can you justify seeing the personification
of "faith" as a little bit bizarre?

When Paul personified "sin" as working "within him," (Romans 7:20) would you
likewise consider this in any sense bizarre? Or, is "faith" singled out for
any particular reason.

Personally, I am not so sure I would have a problem with Paul personifying
anything. For example, I do not find it bizarre that Paul personifies
various body parts in his letter to the Corinthians? Are you aware of any
ancient Greek personification of a foot? (12:15)

I really would appreciate a clarification, because I really liked your first
answer to this topic. You seemed to me to be "backing away" from your first
"interpretation," an interpretation I thought was right on!!

Thank you,

Mark Wilson

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