RE: 1 Cor 4:6 (Was: b-greek digest)

From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Fri Feb 19 1999 - 22:41:34 EST


On Fri 19 Feb 99 (08:10:02), psanders@telalink.net wrote:
> I would like to hear comments about the textual variant in 1 Cor. 4:6.
> The critical apparatus in NA 27 notes the variance between hA GEGRAPTAI
> and PHRONEIN, citing the differences. I can trace out the mss from the
> appendix, but I would like to know the credibility of calling the
> former reading a marginal note which was added into the text.

 Dear Phil,

 When I was at College this was the most FAQ in NT Greek. It was the most
 frequently-set "gobbet" question in exams.

 TAUTA DE, ADELFOI, METESCHMATISA EIS EMAUTON KAI APOLLWN DI' hUMAS,
 hINA EN hHMIN MAQHTE TO MH hUPER hA GEGRAPTAI [FRONEIN],
 hINA MH hEIS hUPER TOU hENOS FUSIOUSQE KATA TOU hETEROU.

 The Byzantine text adds FRONEIN, and this is the text behind the KJV.
 It reads very smoothly; but only by supplying a missing object for this
 verb FRONEIN.

 Paul has *substituted* his name and Apollos' name so as not to point the
 finger at any of the Corinthian party leaders ("no names, no packdrill").
 This is an unique use of METASCHMATIZW; but not an illicit one IMHO.
 APOLLWN is the Attic accusative of APOLLOS. Interesting that the heroes
 of the Corinthian parties have differently-derived genitive forms in
 1 Cor. 1:12: EGW MEN EIMI PAULOU (koine), EGW DE APOLLW (Attic), EGW DE
 KHFA (Doric), EGW DE CRISTOU (Koine again).

 TO MH hUPER hA GEGRAPTAI is a noun clause, the accusative object of
 MAQHTE: the thing which they must learn.

 There is a double purpose (hINA... hINA...) in thus substituting the
 names of Paul and Apollos:

 It is (1) so that "you" (the leaders of the divisive parties of 1 Cor.
 1:12) "in our guise" may learn not to go beyond what is written (sc. in
 Scripture); i.e. you teachers must not trangress the boundaries of
 Scripturally permitted doctrine or behaviour;

 And it is (2) so that none of you party leaders may vaunt himself over
 another. MH hEIS is an expansion of MHDEIS: "that no-one may champion one
 teacher over another teacher". KATA TON hETERON may also mean "against
 one's neighbour". Or, read it: hINA MH (EIS hUPER TOU hENOS FUSIOUSQE
 KATA TOU hETEROU): the MH negating the whole clause, not just the hEIS.

 The English reformer Thomas Cranmer seems to have understood the phrase
 TO MH hUPER *hO* GEGRAPTAI, as in D (Claromontanus); he renders "beyond
 that whyche is above wrytten". But surely Paul doesn't mean them merely
 to follow that which he has just written. He means to follow Scripture;
 his teaching to the Corinthians is KATA TAS GRAFAS (15:3), and Apollos
 had a reputation for DUNATOS WN EN TAIS GRAFAIS (Acts 18:24).

 All IMHO of course.

 ERRWSQE

 Ben

-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
 <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
 http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm

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