1. Eph 3:1-2 In my Zuercher Bibel, the translators connect TOUTOU XARIN with
DIO AITOUMAI from verse 13 to create the phrase: Therefore I, Paul, beg you,
I who am a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you, the heathens, to
not lose courage if you have heard differently [EI GE HKOUSATE]... (Deshalb
[bitte ich], Paulus, der ich der Gefangene Christi Jesu um eurer, der
Heiden, willen bin [, nicht mutlos zu werden], wenn ihr anders von der
Veranstaltung der Gnade Gottes gehoert habt...
Whether this makes sense seems to hang on this question: can EI GE HKOUSATE
mean "if you have heard differently"?
2. Eph 3:8 ANEKSICNOASTON PLOUTOS. According to Zerwick, ANEKSICNOASTON is
derived from AN + EX + ICNOS (footprint), and means "untraceable",
"unfathomable". BAGD says it literally means "not to be tracked out". This
word only occurs here and in Romans 11:33 in the New Testament, but it is
also used in Job 5:9 and Job 9:10. I couldn't find it in the online LSJ.
None of these usages really shed a lot of light on the meaning of the word.
The etymology would suggest invisible, a meaning which comes out in the KJV
"unsearchable" or the Lutheran "unausforschlich". But BAGD and many
translations also suggest "unfathomable" for this. Why?
3. Eph 3:9 FWTISAI [PANTAS]. I'm still weak with infinitives - if it weren't
for the PANTAS in some manuscripts, I assume there would be no way of
knowing whether Paul is the one being illuminated or whether the grace is
given to Paul so that others might be illuminated. Is this true?
Any takers?
Jonathan
***************************************************************************
Jonathan Robie
POET Software, 3207 Gibson Road, Durham, N.C., 27703
Ph: 919.598.5728 Fax: 919.598.6728
email: jwrobie@mindspring.com, jonathan@poet.com
http://www.poet.com <--- shockwave enabled!
***************************************************************************