[B-Greek] TRECHO versus DIWKW

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Fri Mar 18 08:23:23 EDT 2011


On Mar 15, 2011, at 6:49 PM, Billy Shaw wrote:

> Dear List,
> 
> I am studying I Cor. 9:24 and interested that TRECHONTES from TRECHO is the verb 
> used here and in the other occurence of BRABEION (Phi. 3:14) DIWKW is used.  
> I've looked at some of the basic resources (Robertson, Louw/Nida, BGAD) but 
> wanted to hear from the list as to the finer points.  I guess what I'm wondering 
> is - Is the primary difference in the form of sport or in the extent of 
> exertion?  

I see this question has gone unanswered for several days. Perhaps if I attempt
a response, others will "join me on the track." Let's check the text of the 
two passages in question first:

1Cor. 9:24  Οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἱ ἐν σταδίῳ τρέχοντες πάντες μὲν 
τρέχουσιν, εἷς δὲ λαμβάνει τὸ βραβεῖον; οὕτως τρέχετε ἵνα καταλάβητε. 
[1Cor. 9:24  OUK OIDATE hOTI hOI EN STADIWi TRECONTES PANTES 
MEN TRECOUSIN, hEIS DE LAMBANEI TO BRABEION; hOUTWS TRECETE 
hINA KATALABHTE.]

Phil. 3:14 κατὰ σκοπὸν διώκω εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν 
Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. [Phil. 3:14 KATA SKOPON DIWKW EIS TO BRABEION 
THS ANW KLHSEWS TOU QEOU EN CRISTWi IHSOU.]

The βραβεῖον [BRABEION] is the prize won by the winning racer.
τρέχω [TRECW] is the more general word for "run."
διώκω [DIWKW] more specifically means "pursue (an objective)"
The race track is clearly the metaphor involved in both passages. I think we
might say that DIWKEIN = TRECEIN hWSTE TO BRABEION LABESQAI.
What has always struck me as strange about Paul's preference for this
metaphor is that it is essentially a competitive one, as he clearly notes
in "but one alone gets the prize" -- yet at the same time he seems to urge
all his listeners to participate in the race and seek to win the prize. I guess
that what he seeks to instill in all is an intense drive toward the goal 
rather than competition among the racers.


Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)






More information about the B-Greek mailing list