κλῆσις: Calling or Occupation?

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cwconrad
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κλῆσις: Calling or Occupation?

Post by cwconrad »

Suzanne McCarthy has an interesting new blog entry at BLT: Not Just a Sandwich (Bible, Literature, Translation) on one of those Biblical texts that we've always assumed we understood without having to think about what it says.

http://bltnotjustasandwich.com/2011/09/ ... ccupation/

1 Cor 7:20 ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ κλήσει ᾗ ἐκλήθη, ἐν ταύτῃ μενέτω.

The question she raises is: Is it in fact the case that the understanding of the Greek word here has been influenced by a questionable translator’s interpretation of what that word actually means? She asks further whether it isn’t the case that even BDAG has been influenced by the translators in its entry on κλῆσις. The discussion is noteworthy, I think, with respect both to lexicography and the theory, practice, and tradition of Biblical translation.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
Stephen Carlson
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Joined: May 11th, 2011, 10:51 am
Location: Melbourne
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Re: κλῆσις: Calling or Occupation?

Post by Stephen Carlson »

She has link to Ben Witherington's post which has a copy of a paper by Scott Bartchy on the issue. Bartchy examines the primary sources cited by BDAG for the sense "position, condition."
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Melbourne, Australia
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