From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Thu Jan 08 1998 - 14:18:58 EST
On Thu 8 Jan 98 (07:40:05 +0200), wd@isis.co.za wrote:
> In Rom. 4:18 we have the translation from NASB "In hope against hope"
> for PAR ELPIDA EP ELPIDI. Out of my 4 resources BAGD and Thayer suggest
> that EP ELPIDI is a kind of dative of support. Translated it could then
> read "In hope, on the basis of (or supported by) hope." Most
> translations, in fact all those that I am using regularly, suggest the
> translation of "against hope" in some form. The only translation that
> gives it the way that BAGD and Thayer suggested is Wuest's Expanded
> Translation. Is there any real evidence that the translation could be
> "against", or should it definitely be something like "supported by?"
PAR' ELPIDA EP' ELPIDI refers to Abraham and Sarah's "hope" to have a son
and heir. Because of their advanced age, it was "hoping against hope" for
Sarah to conceive and bear a son. Physically their "hope" was zero, but
spiritually, in faith, it was a certainty.
This construction reminds me of CARIN ANTI CARITOS in John 1:16, hOTI EK
TOU PLHRWMATOS AUTOU hHMEIS PANTES ELABOMEN *KAI CARIN ANTI CARITOS*.
Grace *upon* grace (in addition); and/or Grace *for* Grace (New covenant
Grace in substitution for Old covenant Grace).
So in Abraham's case, his old Hope, so long dashed, is reinforced with
new confidence and assurance. Against PARA human hope, or Alongside EPI
human hope, he adds, or substitutes, or sets in contrast, new spiritual
hope.
JA Bengel, the "commentators' commentator", comments ad loc.:
"18. PAR' ELPIDA EP' ELPIDI EPISTEUSEN, past [against] hope believed in
hope) We lay hold of one and the same object both by /faith/ and by /hope/;
/by hope/, as an object of joy, which for certain can and will be realized.
/He believed in the hope/ of the promise, /past [beyond, 'praeter'] the
hope/ of reason, [which reason would have suggested]. PARA and EPI, /past/
[against] and /in/, the particles opposed to each other, a striking
oxymoron." (/Gnomon/, E.T. AR Fausset, Edinburgh, 1859, vol 3, p 60).
-- 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
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:38:50 EDT