[B-Greek] 1 Corinthians 12:27

Mark Lightman lightmanmark at yahoo.com
Sat Mar 13 09:50:48 EST 2010


Peter wrote:
 
<It literally reads from the Greek, "and
members out of a part" or "members from a portion" (καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους).
(KAI MELH EK MEROUS)... Am I missing the meaning of this verse
by rendering it literally or is it some kind of idiom?>
 
Hi Peter,
 
It is an idiom but I also think you do well to look at it literally. I 
think you have noticed that it is some kind of partitive genitive.
as well as a genitive of source.
Paul could have just said εστε σωμα μερους.  ESTE SWMA 
MEROU.  "You guys are a body, from out of a part."  Even
a genitive of source:  "The body comes out of=is only as strong
as one member.  If you are not part of the solution you are part
of the problem.  You guys are part of the Christian solution, but
only one part of it.  E pluribus unum
 
 
Did you notice the variant reading? μελη εκ μελους. MELH
EK MELOUS.  
 
Peter included this request:
 
<When you respond could you please
also note your knowledge level of Greek briefly for me.>
 
Top Ten Ways to characterize my "knowledge level of Greek."
 
10.  Somewhere between "inadequate" and "inept."
9.  "Koine for Dummies" would be way over my head.
8.  I’m an idiot, but more in the Greek than in the English sense
     of that word: an IDIWTHS, a novice, a newbie,  Not initiated.
7.  I’m not a Greek scholar.  I don’t even play one on
     You Tube.
6.  I am thinking of changing my name from FWSFOROS to 
     Αχλυφορος (ACLUFOROS.)  He brings neither light nor heat, but
      a type of fog, a thick, confusing hazy mist.  Mist to the lList. 
 5.  How bad is my Greek?  It’s so bad that I agree with what John Locke
     said about interlinears.
  httpbooks.google.com/books?id=ASLnGTytU3YC&pg=PR6&lpg=PR6&dq=John+Locke+Interlinear&source=bl&ots=DrFZPleIKd&sig=bc2x83X0H-dzGG0xprW_K0poDjU&hl=en&ei=eJibS5r_LI7WswPgw82dAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CBYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=John%20Locke%20Interlinear&f=false
 
        Have you heard of John Locke?  When he was not writing and endorsing
        interlinears, he was busy inventing modern democracy.  Would that I could
        be that kind of dumb!
 
4.  My Greek is so bad that I even agree with what Origen said about interlinears.
      I’m not even sure that I disagree with all his surgical choices.
     Had I done thus, maybe I would have had more time to learn Greek better.  
3.  I don’t even know what I do not know.
2.  Wasn’t  John Locke the guy who said that life is nasty, brutish and short?  Could this
     describe my posts?  Two out of three, maybe? 
 
And the number one way to characterize my "knowledge
level" of Greek:
 
1.  I understand Greek about as well as the Titanic understands the physics of ice burgs.  ;) 

Mark L

Φωσφορος
FWSFOROS MARKOS

--- On Sat, 3/13/10, Peter Schrock <peter at glorifyinghim.com> wrote:


From: Peter Schrock <peter at glorifyinghim.com>
Subject: [B-Greek] 1 Corinthians 12:27
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Saturday, March 13, 2010, 1:22 AM


I am kind of new to this list...

I have been looking at 1 Corinthians 12:27 for a while and I wanted to get
some people look at what I am thinking.  I am especially  looking for those
who are teaching Greek or who are professionally translating (but I would
like to hear from everyone too).  I myself have studied Greek for about 6
years now on my own using a variety of textbooks and resources, but I want
to hear from those who know more than me.  When you respond could you please
also note your knowledge level of Greek briefly for me.

After Paul writes,"you (believers in Corinth) are the body of Christ" he
continues with a peculiar phrase.  It literally reads from the Greek, "and
members out of a part" or "members from a portion" (καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους).
(KAI MELH EK MEROUS)  It follows then in my understanding that Paul was
telling those in Corinth that they should view themselves as members out of
a portion of Christ's body.  This also follows with the following verses in
that not every church has Apostles or every other gift he lists there.  In
addition, it also follows with the context of the chapter when this section
begins with: "we (not just those at Corinth) were all baptized into one
body."  Nevertheless, most translations render the second half of 1
Corinthians 12:27 as a paraphrase.  Am I missing the meaning of this verse
by rendering it literally or is it some kind of idiom?  It just seems to me
that "MEROS" is denoting that those in Corinth are only a part of the body
of Christ and not the whole thing in and of themselves.

Peter Schrock

-- Site Administrator
__________________________
www.GodlyChristianMinistries.com
---
B-Greek home page: http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek
B-Greek mailing list
B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-greek



      


More information about the B-Greek mailing list