[B-Greek] The word "holy"
Mark Lightman
lightmanmark at yahoo.com
Sat Apr 25 15:10:02 EDT 2009
I wouldn't say this etymology is impossible. Etymology is more of
an art than a science. Actually, its more like sorcery than either.
But there are a number of problems with the theory.
1. We're not sure if the root is hAG or AG. If hAG, it would
complicate the theory by suggested there might have been
a digamma or something, and LSJ notes a Sanskrit root
yag.
2. If it is from A-GH, I would expect the eta or the alpha
to show up somehow, AGAIOS or such.
3. Most importantly, though I am no expert, I doubt there
was ever a sense in earliest Greek thought, not to mention, in
Indo-European, that holiness had anything to do with leaving
the earth. Something holy may have been set apart on
earth, but the notion of a realm separate from the earth and
therefore holier, seems like a much later development. I don't
even think the early Hebrews would have thought in such terms.
Having said that, to me etymologies are not true or false, but
helpful or not helpful. If this helps one remember the word,
I say go for it.
Mark L.
--- On Sat, 4/25/09, Marion Fox <mrfox1 at gmail.com> wrote:
From: Marion Fox <mrfox1 at gmail.com>
Subject: [B-Greek] The word "holy"
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Date: Saturday, April 25, 2009, 12:08 PM
I recently heard a man claim that the word hAGIOS was derived from the alpha
privative and the word GH (Earth), and that it meant: "not of this earth
..." I had thought that it was derived from the root hAG which meant
"reverence" Help me to understand this word more fully.
Yours in His service,
--
Marion Fox
http://www.fivefpublishing.com
http://www.okcsbs.com
---
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