Re: KATHAIREW in John 15

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Tue Dec 14 1999 - 12:05:37 EST


<x-rich>At 11:33 AM -0500 12/14/99, KAREN PITTS wrote:

>Context: I'm currently leading a Bible study on the Gospel of John.
We

>met yesterday to discuss John 15:1-11. I always have the Greek text
at

>hand for our discussions.

>

>I don't have my GNT with me, so I'm not sure of the exact verse, I
think it

>is John 15:2. The verse uses AIREW and KATHAIREW for cutting back
branches

>that are unfruitful or pruning to produce more fruit. Several of the
study

>Bibles that people brought to our Bible study mentioned that KATHAIREW
is

>related to cleansing, by which I assumed they (the study Bibles)
meant

>KATHARIZW (KATHAROS). I was not comfortable with that statement (in
fact,

>I said I didn't think it was so), but said I would ask all of you.

>

>Is KATHAIREW is related to KATHARIZW?

>

>And where would I look to answer that question for myself?

It's not KAQAIREW, a compound of KATA and hAIREW (grasp, seize), but
KAQAIRW, a compound of KATA and AIRW (lift, raise, remove); it is
related to the adjective KAQAROS/A/ON "clean," "pure"; KAQARIZW is a
causative verb from the adjective KAQAROS. KAQAIRW means "cleanse,"
"make clean".

I really love having Louw and Nida directly accessible in AcCordance;
it is terrific for answer just such a question:

<color><param>0000,7777,0000</param>43.12 KAQAIRW: to cut away or cut
back unproductive branches or to cut back productive branches so they
can produce better - 'to take away, to prune, to cut off.' PAN TO
KARPON FERON KAQAIREI AUTO 'every (branch) that bears fruit, he prunes
it' Jn 15:2. In Jn 15:2 the verb KAQAIRW involves a play on two
different meanings. The one meaning involves pruning of a plant, while
the other meaning involves a cleansing process (79.49). This play on
two meanings of KAQAIRW serves to highlight the meanings of KAQAROS as
'clean' (79.48) or 'pure' (53.29) in Jn 15:3.

79.49 KAQARIZW; KAQAIRW: to cause something to become clean - 'to make
clean, to cleanse, to clean.'

KAQARIZW KAQARIZETE TO EXWQEN TOU POTHRIOU KAI THN PAORXIDOS 'you clean
the outside of the cup and plate' Mt 23:25.

KAQAIRW; PAN TO KARPON FERON KAQAIRE AUTO 'every (branch) that bears
fruit he cleanses' Jn 15:2. In Jn 15:2 the meaning of KAQAIRW may also
be understood as 'to prune branches' (see 43.12), thus playing on two
distinct meanings of KAQAIRW.
</color>

 

Carl W. Conrad

Department of Classics/Washington University

One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018

Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649

cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu

</x-rich>



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