Re: PROTOTOKOS

From: lakr (lakr@netcom.com)
Date: Thu Feb 20 1997 - 17:14:29 EST


I few week ago I posted a question regarding the use of LSJ and
Lampe and mentioned I was looking at the meaning of PRWTOKTISTOS.

It occurs to me that this word 'First-Created' may bear on the
discussion of PRWTOTOKOS 'First-Born'.

I have been browsing the PG and have come upon what seems to be a link
between these two words, at least in the vocabulary of Clement of
Alexandria and also apparently the translator of the English
version of the Stromatais which I retrieved off the Web at the
Wheaton site.

Clement of Alexandria in "THE STROMATA, OR MISCELLANIES, BOOK V CHAP XIV
GREEK PLAGIARISM FROM THE HEBREWS" while speaking of the Stoics says
"Well, they say that God pervades all being while we call Him solely Maker,
and Maker by the Word. They were misled by what is said in the book of
Wisdom: `He pervades and passes through all by reason of His purity;'
since they did not understand that this was said of Wisdom, which was
the first of the creation of God. (SOFIAS THS PRWTOKTISTOU TWi QEWi).
The latin from PG IX. 62A is `primo creata'.

Here Clement of Alexandria clealy refers to Christ as Wisdom,
refering to Proverbs as PRWTOKTISTOS, or 'First-Created'.

Also in the Stromatais CHAP VI THE MYSTIC MEANING OF THE TABERNACLE AND
ITS FURNITURE Clement of Alexandria says :
"The golden lamp conveys another enigma as a symbol of Christ, not
in respect of form alone but in his casting light, `at sundry times and
divers manners,' on those who believe on Him and hope, and who see by
means of the ministry of the _First-born_. (KAI BLEPONTAS DIA THS TWN
PRWTOKKTISTWN DIAKONIAS )"

Again Clement calls Christ 'PRWTOKTISTOS' but the translator calls
this 'First-born'.

... the Son sees the goodness of the Father, God the Saviour works,
being called the _first principle_ of all things, which was imaged forth
from the invisible God first, and before the ages, and which fashioned
all things which came into being after itself.

This sound like a quotation of Colossians 1:15-16, does it not ?

        Col 1:15-16 (NWT) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
        of all creation; because by means of him all [other] things were
        created in the heavens and upon the earth ...

Could 'PRWTOKTISTOS' be considered a related word to 'PRWTOTOKOS',
perhaps even a synonym in the vocabulary of Clement of Alexandria. ?

Sincerely and Respectfully,
Larry Kruper



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