From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Tue Aug 26 1997 - 21:25:23 EDT
At 3:23 PM -0500 8/26/97, Jonathan Robie wrote:
>Rev 3:4 ALLA EChEIS OLIGA *ONOMATA* EN SARDESIN hA OUK EMOLUNAN TA IMATIA
>AUTWN
>But you have a few "names" en Sardis who have not soiled their clothing.
>
>This caught my attention. ONOMATA, meaning literally "names", is used to
>refer to people here. This usage also shows up in Acts 1:15:
>
>Acts 1:15 HN TE OChLOS *ONOMATWN* EPI TO AUTO hWSEI hEKATON EIKOSI
>And the crowd of "names" gathered together were about 120.
>
>In each of these verses, "name" is used as a synonym for a person. How
>common is this usage? Does this have ramifications for our understanding of
>the phrase "in the name of Jesus"? If we believe in the name of Jesus, is
>this the same as believing in Jesus?
It seems to me that sometime in recent months we discussed the passage in
Acts. I recollect checking that in Louw-Nida and finding this usage of
ONOMA is a Semitism, but my reference books are at the office and I can't
re-check it.
I think we've talked about the second matter also, belief in the NAME. I
don't think this bears any direct relation to the former, idiomatic, usage
deriving from Semitic practice. Here a check of the archives would be in
order, if, as I think, the discussion was back prior to June.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cconrad@yancey.main.nc.us
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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