Phil.2:16 λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες "hold out / onto"

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Stephen Hughes
Posts: 3323
Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Phil.2:16 λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες "hold out / onto"

Post by Stephen Hughes »

Haa this phrase λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες of Philippians 2:16 been discussed on B-Greek already?
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
Stephen Hughes
Posts: 3323
Joined: February 26th, 2013, 7:12 am

Re: Phil.2:16 λόγον ζωῆς ἐπέχοντες "hold out / onto"

Post by Stephen Hughes »

Okay then, while this is still bobbing near the surface ...

LSJ "hold out" and BDAG "hold onto" both give no explanation or references for their choice of meaning of ἐπέχειν in Pilippians 2:16.

A starting point for discussion might be, Poythress, V. S., “Hold Fast” versus “Hold Out” in Philippians 2:16, Westminster Theological Journal 64/1 (2002) 45-53. It was written when TLG-E was available but doesn't appear to have used it, and favours LSJ's Classical evidence, without addressing the issue of whether ἐπέχειν used of giving children too young to use their own hands a drink was used contemporaniously with the New Testament, nor what became of the word in later times. Papyrological evidence would have been difficult to access at that time and is also not included. Besides those points, I think it is solid and well-written from the examples quoted, without too much persuasive language.
Γελᾷ δ' ὁ μωρός, κἄν τι μὴ γέλοιον ᾖ
(Menander, Γνῶμαι μονόστιχοι 108)
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