Re: Hebrews 11:1

From: Theodore H Mann (thmann@juno.com)
Date: Tue May 04 1999 - 13:02:11 EDT


I have a translation that renders 11:1 as, "Faith is the substantiation
of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Is there any
merit to this?

Dr. Theodore "Ted" Mann
Orchard Lake, Michigan
thmann@juno.com

On Tue, 04 May 1999 12:31:45 -0400 Jim West <jwest@Highland.Net> writes:
>At 12:04 PM 5/4/99 +0000, you wrote:
>>I have several questions regarding Hebrews 11:1, which reads as
>follows:
>>ESTIN DE PISTIS ELPIZOMENWN HUPOSTASIS PRAGMATWN ELEGXOS OU
>BLEPOMENWN.
>>
>>1. One generally sees HUPOSTASIS and ELEGXOS translated with a
>definite
>>article in English, but they lack such in Greek. I realize that
>Greek and
>>English sometimes use the article in different ways. But wouldn't it
>be
>>possible to render these words without the article, as in "Now faith
>is of
>>things hoped for a confident assurance, a conviction of things not
>seen"?
>
>Or perhaps, "Faith is substantive hopefulness and conviction without
>aid of
>sight".
>I agree with your assesment that the definite article is not necessary
>here
>in English either.
>
>>
>>2. Does PRAGMATWN belong with ELPIZOMENWN, BLEPOMENWN, or both?
>Could it
>>possibly have a stronger force than "things" here; maybe something
>like
>>"realities"?
>
>Or perhaps "deeds", "actions".
>
>
>>3. My main question is whether HUPOSTASIS should be taken as
>"substance"
>>or "assurance" here. (I looked in the archives and couldn't find a
>>discussion of this.) [snipped]
>
>I think "substantive" or some such meaning is most likely- though the
>range
>is fairly broad. Still, I take it in almost a philosophical way, and
>believe that that is how the word is intended.
>
>>
>>Any thoughts on this? Am I missing any evidence that is relevant to
>the
>>question? And if the translation should be "substance," what is that
>
>>supposed to mean? Thanks in advance for whatever light you can shine
>on
>>these questions.
>
>Well, faith is substantive- it is not mere "pie in the sky in the
>sweet bye
>and bye". I think the author here is intimating that faith is as real
>as
>material reality. In fact, I might go so far as to say that he is
>almost
>using the idea of substance and reality in a Platonic sense. I.e., it
>is
>the heavenly that is real and the earthly is merely shadow of that
>reality.
>Faith then grasps the really real while discounting the apperance of
>"material" reality.
>
>>
>>Kevin L. Barney
>
>Best,
>
>Jim
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>Jim West, ThD
>Petros Baptist Church- Pastor
>Quartz Hill School of Theology- Adjunct Prof. of Bible
>
>fax- 978-231-5986
>email- jwest@highland.net
>web page- http://web.infoave.net/~jwest
>
>
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