Re: SPIT OUT in Gal 4:14

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Fri Sep 03 1999 - 07:20:14 EDT


<x-rich>At 7:47 PM -0500 9/2/99, Dmitriy Reznik wrote:

>Dear friends,

>

>Maybe anybody could help me to translate Gal 4:14.

>KAI TON PEIRASMON UMWN EN TH SARKI MOU OUK EXOUQENHSATE OUDE
EXEPTUSATE...

>I am interested how to understand EKPTUW in this context. Many
versions

>just translate this word metaphorically: for example, as "to reject"
(and

>that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not
despise or

>loathe...)But some lexicons insist on literal understanding "to spit
out".

>They say it was a defence against evil spirits to spit having met a
sick

>person. If it is right, I would like to know whether they just used to
spit

>on the ground, or to that sick person's face, or anyhow else. I need
to

>know it in order to choose a proper word for translating into Russian.

>Maybe anybody knows these things about usage of this Greek word and
about

>this ancient custom?

This might be a matter of the social level at which the language is
being used, but I guess some caution is called for here, inasmuch as
what some might deem as superstition may be deemed as proper and
natural ritual behavior by another. My own guess is that in Gal 4:14
Paul is using this word figuratively for "reject." It's interesting
that this is the only instance of the verb in the GNT. The brief
discussion in Louw & Nida on this:

<color><param>0000,7777,0000</param>34.37 EKPTUW: (a figurative
extension of meaning of EKPTUW 'to spit out,' not occurring in the NT)
to reject, with the implication of a measure of disdain - 'to reject,
to have disdain for.' OUK EXOUQENHSATE OUDE EKEPTUSATE 'you did not
despise or reject (me)' Ga 4:14. In a number of languages 'to reject'
is expressed idiomatically as 'to throw away,' 'to push away,' or 'to
turn one's back toward.'

One certainly has to be careful about affirming literal rather than
metaphorical senses to verbs expressive of powerful feelings used in
the NT, as for instance SPLAGCNIZOMAI.
</color>

Carl W. Conrad

Department of Classics/Washington University

One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018

Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649

cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu

WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/

</x-rich>



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