From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Mon Nov 29 1999 - 08:17:06 EST
On Sun 28 Nov 1999 (23:48:14), dbielby@juno.com wrote:
>
> Also, why can't the phrase TWN OURANWN be translated as a plural?
> (I've always wondered about this phrase which appears all over the
> place)
Dear David,
As Carl has spoken, I hesitate to add my $0.02 to his $64K. But ISTM that
the phrase BASILEIA TWN OURANWN / TOU OURANOU is a rendering into Greek
of the Hebrew 'Qere Perpetuum': the reverent avoidance of pronouncing
the name of God, or even the word God. Indeed, Jewish contributors to
our sister List b-hebrew regularly type G-d to avoid typing God. So the
Hebrew (Aramaic) behind hH BASILEIA TWN OURANWN is MaL:KuWT-YHWH; but
speakers would always substitute MaL:KuWT-Ha$$aMaYiM or another similar
periphrasis.
So John Baptist (probably raised an Essene) would have meant hH BASILEIA
TOU QEOU, but said B. TWN OURANWN instead.
Turning to 4:17, here we have the Dignitary following the Forerunner
who has prepared the way for him, taking up the message of the Forerunner
and making it his own: METANOEITE: HGGIKEN GAR hH BASILEIA TWN OURANWN.
John would have been well aware of Malachi 3:1 and his role as the humble
Messenger (MaL:'aK, AGGELOS) proclaiming the imminent arrival of "the Lord
whom ye seek". Malachi in Hebrew means "My Messenger". It is interesting
that Jesus' first public utterance is to affirm the ministry of his
Forerunner, John the Baptiser.
>
> So, can this phrase mean: the dominion/kingdom of the heavens has
> come....?
IMHO (if I dare venture a theological interpretation) it means "the Kingly
Rule of God and his Messiah has begun: so watch out! get right with God!".
ERRWSQE
Ben
-- Revd Ben Crick, BA CF <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk> 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK) http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm--- B-Greek home page: http://sunsite.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-329W@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu
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