From: virgil newkirk (virgilsalvage1@email.msn.com)
Date: Sun Jan 28 2001 - 20:26:28 EST
Steven Craig Miller wrote
<omit>
>At Philemon 5, the NRSV translates: "because I hear of your love for all
>the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus," whereas a more literal
>translation might be: "because I hear of your love and faith[fulness],
>which you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints."
>
>The Greek text has:
>
>(A) AKOUWN
>(B) SOU THN AGAPHN
>(C) KAI THN PISTIN,
>(D) hHN EXEIS
>(E) PROS TON KURION IHSOUN
>(F) KAI EIS PANTAS TOUS hAGIOUS.
>
>The NRSV has taken B and joined it with F and taken C and joined it with E
>based on (what I call) a "Syntactical Chiasmus," whereas a more normal
>reading of this syntax would take B + C as dependent upon A, and E + F and
>dependent on D. What justification is there for NRSV's understanding of
>Greek syntax at Philemon 5?
To Steve and all...
I don't think there is justification for the rendering as found in the
NRSV. I believe it is what happens...( and surely we all do it and have done
it in the past )...it is what happens when we try to figure out what the
text means, rather than to let it just say what it says. Now, we cannot
always do this in such a simple way....however, it seems to me we can render
passages thusly...more times that we do. Take Philemon 5 for example.....it
is clear in the text and the word order and Paul's use of the genitive...(
SOU ) that he is first of all going to speak concerning something or things
that are characterized by (that's the SOU). These items must first be
indentified as connected to, having come through and taken on who Philemon
is. The NRSV by their rendering...already dilutes what the text is saying by
moving away one of the accusatives..( AGAPHN ) from what Philemon is having
also "PROS" the Lord, probably because they couldn't understand what faith
could have to do with Philemon's relationship with the saints. Well, I think
it can be made clear by EIS that there is a specific action as relates to
Philemon and the haGIOUS.... as compared to the PROS as relates to Philemon
and the Lord.
First allow Philemon to have as is characterized by him....the
directing of his being and faith " PROS...governing here the accusative,
meaning" this directing of his very being and faith...."Towards" the Lord
Jesus. " The Lord Jesus" kind of personal don't you think? I think what the
text is saying first is what Philemon was experiencing...toward the Lord..He
was in the reality of something Paul mentions in 2 Cor 3:18...then as a
natural result of SOU THN AGAPHN KAI THN PISTIN..reflecting ''PROS back
towards the Lord....Philemon naturally then and as a result of the
former..was EIS... reflecting not "toward" the ones described as set
apart....but as the result should be...EIS.."into"...reflecting his
directing of his very being and faith "into" his fellow set apart ones. No
wonder in verse 6 Paul is joyful and encouraged by this. The NRSV missed
this or perhaps even...messed with this to the point of dilution and
weakening what the Greek text "actually says" Towards the Lord...Into the
set apart ones...
Virgil Newkirk
Salt Lake City,Utah
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