From: KULIKOVSKY, Andrew (AKULIKOV@baea.com.au)
Date: Thu Jul 18 1996 - 10:31:26 EDT
Fellow students of the Greek Language,
I have only just begun a life-time of study of the Biblical languages and
one of
the first things I chose to study in the Greek was the role of women in
the Church.
Now firstly, a comment on the Junia/Junias debate:
<<Richard Cervin ("A Note Regarding the Name 'Junia(s)' in Romans 16:7,"
New
Test. Studies 40 [1994] 464-470) concludes: "A proper examination of the
linguistic evidence regarding the name _Iunia_ shows that the name is
feminine, not masculine. The masculine form of the name is _Iunius_ in
Latin
and IOUNIOS in Greek (accusative forms: _Iunium_ and IOUNION
respectively).
There is thus no ambiguity in the morphology of the masculine and
feminine
forms of this name in either language. The theory that the name is
_Iunias_, and may be a shortened form of the masculine name _Iunianus_,
is
groundless because there is so far no empirical evidence to support such
a
theory." (p. 470).>>
As Michael Holmes pointed out above, Junia(s) is a Latin name, which
means the
Greek form should be Junios if it were maculine. He then concludes that
it must be
feminine and therefore Junia.
But this is a little premature - the same argument can go the other way.
The spelling
Junias has an A rating - this means that there is overwhelming evidence
that this
spelling is original. But the feminine form should be spelt Junia not
Junias. Using the
same logic as above, it could be concluded that Junias is therefore
masculine.
Maybe, the suggestion that Junias is a short form of Junianus is not such
a bad one.
Surely, this can be counted as evidence.
<<As for the second question, Lightfoot understood them to be apostles;
"Except to escape the difficulty involved in such an extension of the
apostolate [i.e., beyond the number 12], I do not think the words OITINES
EISIN EPISHMOI EN TOIS APOSTOLOIS would have been rendered 'who are
highly
esteemed by the Apostles.' The Greek fathers took the more natural
interpretation" [i.e., 'among the apostles'] (Lightfoot, _Galatians_,
96).
The issue in his day [an argument about the meaning of apostle--just
twelve,
or a larger group] was different than our argument [is the woman Junia an
apostle or not], but his observation--"except to escape"--may yet be to
the
point?>>
The question of how OITINES EISIN EPISHMOI EN TOIS APOSTOLOIS should be
rendered has been too easily dismissed. No one (except the quote above)
has given
any thorough explanation of this clause. I am yet to be convinced that
"noted among
the apostles" can not mean highly esteemed by the apostles.
Now to my question:
In I Tim 2:13-15 there is a highly controversial passage and some unusual
wording and
grammar, especially in v. 15
The bit I am most interested in and still a little uncertain about is:
SWQHSETAI DE DIA THS TEKNOGONIAS EAN MEINWSIN EN PISTEI
..........etc.
I think the key questions are:
1. In what sense (meaning) is SWQHSETAI to be taken?
saved, rescued, restored or preserved?
2. What is the meaning of DIA?
through, during?
3. Who is "they" in "if they continue in faith" etc.?
women, children?
My view is that SWQHSETAI means "she will be restored", and the "she"
doesn't
refer to Eve but to GUNH is v. 13 and could be rendered "but a woman will
be restored"
I would DIA to indicates means and "they" as referring to women in
general.
Therefore my rendering of the verse would be:
but a woman will be restored by childbearing - if they (she) continues in
faith, love etc...
This context of this passage is the proper role of women in the Church.
They were not
to teach or to have authority over men (in the context of the church) v.
13 but were to
learn in sumbission. The reason: because Adam was formed first and Eve
was
deceived. This has been a great stigma on women. However, a woman can
shake off
this stigma and be restored to her rightful place as the mother of God's
children by
living a life that is faithful, loving, holy with propriety.
Paul is making a contrast to the way Eve led the race into sin, and how a
Christian
woman has the privilege of leading the race out of sin by setting a Godly
example
to her children.
I'd appeciate any thoughts on any of this.
cheers,
Andrew
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Andrew S. Kulikovsky B.App.Sc(Hons) MACS
|
| Software Engineer
| British Aerospace Australia
| Technology Park, Adelaide
| ph: +618 343 8211
| email: akulikov@baea.com.au
|
| What's the point of gaining everything this world has
| to offer, when you lose your own life in the end?
|
| ...Look to Jesus Christ
|
| hO IESOUS KURIOS!
+------------------------------------------------------------------------
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