Re: Romans 16:7/Jonathan's Post

From: Edward Hobbs (EHOBBS@WELLESLEY.EDU)
Date: Mon Aug 10 1998 - 15:15:27 EDT


Colleagues:

Since I was one of those to whom Larry Swain appealed, I'll respond.
A short comment on each of the issues Ted Mann ended up raising:

First, as both Carl Conrad and Mike Holmes wrote, all of this was discussed
at great length a couple of years or so ago-- see the archives. We
need not re-invent the wheel.

Second, as (again) Carl and Mike pointed out, the masculine name JUNIAS
is bogus; it is purely a mdoern invention, with no evidence for it in
antiquity whatever. The reasons for its invention are obvious; this is one
of those cases where the King James translators were correct and the RSV,
NIV, and NASB are victims of the invention. NRSV and NAB are more sensible
and perform no sex-change on the language.

Third, Paul calls himself an "Apostle", or rather he says God called him
that, and he insists on his right to the term. Only later do Matthew and
Luke move toward calling no one but the Twelve by that term. Paul and Mark
know only "the Twelve," not "the Twelve Apostles." James, apparently in
charge in Jerusalem, would not be an "Apostle" if only the Twelve qualify.

Finally, I have to agree with Carl and Jonathan, that taking the expression
"among the apostles" to mean "the apostles as a group hold these two non-
apostles in high regard" is "rather strained" (Carl) and "stretching it"
(Jonathan), though the Greek could bear such a meaning (but see Jonathan's
lovely English examples for the absurdity involved, to a native-speaker or
fluent-reader).

PLEASE look in the archives; this had some lengthy discussion, and it all
needn't be repeated.

Edward Hobbs

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