Meaning of HUPARCHWN

How do I work out the meaning of a Greek text? How can I best understand the forms and vocabulary in this particular text?
Forum rules
This is a beginner's forum - see the Koine Greek forum for more advanced discussion of Greek texts. Please quote the Greek text you are discussing directly in your post if it is reasonably short - do not ask people to look it up.

When answering questions in this forum, keep it simple, and aim your responses to the level of the person asking the question.
Post Reply
gregcoupe
Posts: 9
Joined: May 8th, 2016, 4:17 pm

Meaning of HUPARCHWN

Post by gregcoupe »

Have I interpreted the word hypárchōn (HUPARCHWN) correctly?:
"In 1 Cor 11:3, 7 we are told man is “being” (hypárchōn) God’s “image and glory.” Greek hypárchōn is composed of the elements hypo (under) and archṓ (begin, be first, rule), and literally translates as 'under-beginning' (Thayer's Greek Lexicon, s.v. ἄρχω [757] and ὑπάρχω [5225]; Help Word Studies, s.v. ὑπάρχω). Here it may imply that man originated in the image of God, with the divine image as his underlying substrate."
Jonathan Robie
Posts: 4158
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Location: Durham, NC
Contact:

Re: Meaning of HUPARCHWN

Post by Jonathan Robie »

I don't think any lexicon would support that, and there's a reason standard translations don't come out that way.

Perhaps it would be helpful to start with a lexicon and concordance entry for ὑπάρχω. That will give you the normal understanding and examples of where the word is used.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
Eeli Kaikkonen
Posts: 611
Joined: June 2nd, 2011, 7:49 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: Meaning of HUPARCHWN

Post by Eeli Kaikkonen »

This is called "root fallacy" or "etymological fallacy", namely that etymology of a word or the components of a compound word determine its meaning. Actually usage determines the meaning, and even then it's the contemporary usage. Group of people have common understanding about the word because they use it in communication. You wouldn't accept any "exegesis" of you own words which would tell what you mean by resorting to etymology.

You will do a great favor to yourself if you read D. A. Carson's Exegetical Fallacies. You can find also internet resources:

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles ... fallacies/
https://www.google.com/search?client=ub ... 8&oe=utf-8
http://www.ntgreekstudies.com/blog/comm ... -fallacies

etc. etc.
Post Reply

Return to “What does this text mean?”