DOULOS QEOU

From: Kevin Smith (kgs@iafrica.com)
Date: Thu Jan 06 2000 - 16:11:41 EST


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<DIV><FONT size=2>Dear friends</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>While working on Titus 1:1, I found that the&nbsp;noun phrase
DOULOS QEOU is used four times in the NT:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Acts 16:17 - hOUTOI hOI ANQRWPOI DOULOI TOU
QEOU TOU hUYISTOU EISIN</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Titus 1:1 - PAULOS DOULOS QEOU</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rev 7:3 - ACRI SFAGISWMEN TOUS DOULOUS TOU
QEOU hHMWN</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rev 15:3 - ...MWUSEWS, TOU DOULOU TOU
QEOU</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>RE: Acts 16:17. What connotations would the designation
'slaves of the Most High God' have coming from the slave girl? Would it be a
derogatory or complimentary description? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>RE: Rev 7:3. The two plurals (Acts 16, Rev 7) both occur in
contexts where the reference could be to preachers (In Rev 7 this is, like most
things in Rev, debatable.). Is it possible that DOULOI QEOU means 'slaves of
God' in the sense of 'those who do God's work'? Or is 'servants of God' in Rev
7:3 simply another way of saying 'believers'? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>RE: Rev 15:3. If DOULOI QEOU = 'those who do God's work', then
Moses would be an example par excellence; hence hO DOULOS TOU QEOU. Could this
be the regular force of the singular? I know it is used in the LXX to designate
some of the 'great men of God,' but I don't have the Gramcord LXX to check it
out thoroughly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Thanks for your insights.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Kevin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>P.E., South Africa</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><A href="mailto:kgs@iafrica.com">kgs@iafrica.com</A>
</FONT></DIV>
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