[b-greek] THN KLHSIN hUMWN in 1 Cor. 1:26

From: boyd@pcpartner.net
Date: Sat Aug 11 2001 - 11:06:35 EDT


Dear B-greekers,

I'm working through 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5 and have hit a snag in
my understanding at verse 26.

1 Cor. 1:26
BLEPETE GAR THN KLHSIN hUMWN, ADELFOI, hOTI OU
POLLOI SOFOI KATA SARKA, OU POLLOI DUNATOI, OU
POLLOI EUGENEIS.

My question deals with the words THN KLHSIN hUMWN.
BDAG lists two meanings for KLHSIS:
1) invitation to experience of special privilege and responsibility,
call, calling, invitation;
2) position that one holds, position, condition;***

BDAG lists 1 Cor. 1:26 under meaning #1, giving the translation
"consider your call i.e., what happened when it occurred."

Based on these meanings here are two of my possible translations
of the verse:

Based on meaning #1: "For consider what happened when you
were called, brothers, [namely] that not many wise, not many
powerful, not many well-born [responded]."

Based on meaning #2: "For consider your station in life, brothers,
[namely] that not many [were] wise, not many [were] powerful, not
many [were] well-born."

I've always previously understood this verse to speak of their
"position" or "station in life," but now I don't know. Did I accurately
reflect BDAG's meaning #1 in my first translation? Any help would
be much appreciated.

Jonathan Boyd
Huxley, IA

*** Incidentally, Gordon Fee _The First Epistle to the Corinthians_
(NICNT), says that BAGD's second meaning isn't supported by
evidence. But then he opts for an understanding similar to
meaning #2. Curious?

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