Where does the quotation begin?
Posted: March 1st, 2017, 3:54 pm
James 4:5–6
ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει.
Πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν;
μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.
Διὸ λέγει Ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.
Is there any particular reason why the sentence beginning with Πρὸς φθόνον must be considered the beginning of a quotation?
Since no OT text contains these words, maybe we should wait until 4:6b’s Διὸ λέγει to look for the actual quotation. Thus 4:5b and 4:6a become a negative/positive argument for why one should pay attention to what the Scripture says: “Do you think that the Scripture speaks without effect? The spirit he has caused to dwell within us yearns with envy, but he gives a greater grace. Therefore it says: ‘God stands against the proud, but give grace to the humble’” (Proverbs 3:34).
ἢ δοκεῖτε ὅτι κενῶς ἡ γραφὴ λέγει.
Πρὸς φθόνον ἐπιποθεῖ τὸ πνεῦμα ὃ κατῴκισεν ἐν ἡμῖν;
μείζονα δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.
Διὸ λέγει Ὁ θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάσσεται ταπεινοῖς δὲ δίδωσιν χάριν.
Is there any particular reason why the sentence beginning with Πρὸς φθόνον must be considered the beginning of a quotation?
Since no OT text contains these words, maybe we should wait until 4:6b’s Διὸ λέγει to look for the actual quotation. Thus 4:5b and 4:6a become a negative/positive argument for why one should pay attention to what the Scripture says: “Do you think that the Scripture speaks without effect? The spirit he has caused to dwell within us yearns with envy, but he gives a greater grace. Therefore it says: ‘God stands against the proud, but give grace to the humble’” (Proverbs 3:34).