Re: LOGIKON ADOLON GALA EPIPOQHSATE IIPeter2:2

Steven Cox (scox@ns1.chinaonline.com.cn.net)
Fri, 15 Aug 1997 23:42:28 +0800

I would like to thank Jonathan, David, Ben, and James
for their thoughtful comments, I knew for certain it didn't
mean "rational" before I started but not convinced by
NIV or AV readings either. But now Souter's meaning
"figurative" seems to be worth going away and looking
at in more detail. (And it makes sense)

I did not ask about what GALA means because it's a question
beyond the language. I doubt theres a 1-on-1 correspondence
with whatever the LOGOS/RHMA mix here mean/means in view of
the fact that it goes against the uses of GALA in Hebrews.
rather than "GALA = LOGOS" could it not just be a general
envelope stretching over the entire context preceding.
(I'm just one of those people who like a certain level of
consistency among the different NT writers.. gut feeling)

This is going to sound completely whacked out but I
came away from the passage thinking that the new believer is
being compared with a baby bloody straight from the womb
being laid upon its mother's (but REMA is neuter) breast:

1:22 TIMIW hAIMATI... 23 ANAGEGENNHMENOI.. 2:2 hWS ARTIGENNHTA
BREFH (note not NEPIOS here, BREFOS ex the womb) TO LOGIKON
ADOLON GALA

..hence the use of LOGIKOS (as per Moulton, not "of word" or
"pertaining to spirit") to counter the vivid "literal" imagery
such as had once confused Nicodemus?? Maybe I'm putting too
much weight on BREFOS but it seems wholly different from
the 1Co3:1 reference hWS NEPIOIS EN CRISTW.

>>borne in mind that LOGIKOS means 'spiritual' not only in the sense of
>>PNEUMATIKOS

But does it??? If Romans 12:1 means THN PNEUMATIKHN LATREIAN
why doesn't it say so? Surely this too just means "figurative"
"metaphorical" - the same as in Peter?

, but also in contrast to 'literal', with the meaning
>>'metaphorical'."
> Alexander Souter's _Pocket Lexicon to the Greek New Testament_, s.v.
>LOGIKOS adds to "reasonable" and "rational," "metaphorical" as Jonathan, by
>way of BAGD, has suggested. In the verse under consideration Souter
>suggests "metaphorical as contrasted with literal." This interpretation may
>come from Moulton & Milligan s.v. LOGIKOS which cites the Pelagia legend
>(late Greek) in which "[a] bishop meets Pelagia and tells her he is
>'shepherd of Christ's sheep.' She takes him literally, and he explains that
>he means TWN LOGIKWN PROBATWN TOU XRISTOU, TOUT ESTIN TWN ANQRWPWN."

Thanks all
Steven