From: Stephen C. Carlson (scarlson@washdc.mindspring.com)
Date: Tue Jun 24 1997 - 00:17:34 EDT
At 08:08 6/23/97 -0500, Edgar M. Krentz wrote:
>"And further, by means of the style (FRASIS) one can estimate the
>difference between the Gospel and Epistle and the Apocalypse. For the
>former are not only written in faultless Greek, but also show the greatest
>literary skill in their diction, their reasonings, and the constructions in
>which they are expressed. There is a complete absence of any barbarous
>word, or solecism, or any vulgarisms whatever. For their author had, as it
>seems, both kinds of word, by the free gift of the Lord, the world of
>knowledge the word of speech. But I will not deny that the other writer
>[i.e. of Revelation] had seen revelations and received knowledge and
>prophecy; nevertheless I observe his style and that his use of the Greek
>language is not accurate, but that he employs barbarous idioms, in some
>places committing downright solecisms. These there is no necessity to
>single out now. For I have not said these things in mockery (let no one
>think it), but merely to establish the dissimilarity of these writings."
>Eusebius, H.E. 7.25.24-27.
Much thanks to Edgar Krentz for bringing this discussion down to earth.
Much of the discussion centered on the abstract question whether a
person (ANQRWPOS) can write in difference styles, without looking at
the nature of the specific differences. When one does so, one finds
that the basic competence in the Greek language is quite, even strikingly,
different. This basic fact must be explained, not glossed over.
Stephen Carlson
-- Stephen C. Carlson : Poetry speaks of aspirations, scarlson@mindspring.com : and songs chant the words. http://www.mindspring.com/~scarlson/ : -- Shujing 2.35
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