Re: STEFANOS, DIADEMA
Trevor M Peterson (spedrson@juno.com)
Sun, 21 Sep 1997 08:28:25 EDT
On Sun, 21 Sep 1997 07:45:00 -0400 Jonathan Robie
<jwrobie@mindspring.com> writes:
>In "Breaking the Code", Bruce Metzger writes:
>
>>In Greek there are two words that can be translated "crown."
>>One is diadema, which means a royal crown; the other, which
>>is used here, is stephanos, which usually has something to
>>do with joy and victory. John is referring to the garlands
>>that were presented to the winners at the Olympic and other games.
>
>But the crown of thorns was a STEFANOS, and seems to be used as a
>royal crown:
>
>Matt 27:29 (NASU) And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they
>put it
>on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before
>Him
>and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
>
>Is Metzger's observation accurate?
>
Just a thought, but could the STEFANOS refer at least in part to the form
of the crown? I don't know what the Greeks would have pictured when they
heard DIADEMA, but I know we almost always think of a wreath for
STEFANOS. Now, if a DIADEMA was closer to what we tend to perceive as a
royal crown (made of precious metal of some sort), the form of the
STEFANOS would have been a more appropriate connection for a crown made
of thorns.
Take it for what it's worth.
Trevor Peterson
M.Div. Candidate
Capital Bible Seminary
Lanham, MD