From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Wed Mar 25 1998 - 11:20:28 EST
At 8:46 AM -0600 3/25/98, Jim West wrote:
>Colleagues,
>
>While researching Phil 4:12 I note that Paul uses the rare (for the NT a
>hapax) verb <gr> meuw </gr>. So, I have translated the phrase, "I have been
>initiated in all things (i.e., mysteries) and I know how to be filled and to
>hunger...."
>
>Now, my question, do others think that Paul here implies that he has been
>dipping in the well of the mystery religions and has tasted a little water
>from them all? I.e., has Paul tried them all and settled on Christianity?
The verb is actually MUW, here used in the pf. passive.
For my part, I do not think this means that Paul has made the circuit of
the mystery religions; rather I think it has the figurative meaning that we
today give to phrases like "I've had my initiation into water sports" or "I
was baptized into auto-racing at an early age." That is, I think it really
means to have more than a passing familiarity with a category of experience.
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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