[b-greek] Re: Lk 8.26-39 many or sufficient?

From: Steven Lo Vullo (doulos@merr.com)
Date: Mon Feb 04 2002 - 23:49:28 EST


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On Monday, February 4, 2002, at 11:14 AM, Polycarp66@aol.com wrote:

> In preparing a unicode HTML version of Luke I arrived at this passage.
> It
> struck me that there was a reason for the statement of v. 30
>
> EPHRWTHSEN DE AUTON hO IHSOUS "TI SOI ONOMA ESTIN?"
>
> In the ANE knowledge of the name was considered to be to have power
> over the
> one named: cf. Gen 32.27 ff where Jacob is given a new name and then
> asks for
> the "angel's" name. He is rebuffed with the question, "Why do you ask
> my
> name?" because it was an obvious attempt to gain power over God
> himself. Or
> cf. Rev. 2.17
>
> TWi NIKWNTI DWSW AUTWi TOU MANNA TOU KEKRUMMENOU KAI DWSW AUTWi YHFON
> LEUKHN,
> KAI <B>EPI TH YHFON ONOMA KAINON GEGRAMMENON hO OUDEIS OIDEN EI MH hO
> LAMBANWN
> </b>.
>
> where it would seem that the idea is that those who practise magic (a
> recurrent theme in Revelation) would not have any power over those
> having the
> new name.
>
> In our passage, however, I don't think this idea comes into play. It is
> clearly assumed that Jesus has authority to send the demons into the
> abyss.
> Then we come to the mention of the herd in v. 32 ff. where is is said
>
> HN EKEI AGELH hIKANWN BOSKOMENH EN TWi OREI
>
> This is usually translated as "a large herd" or "a herd of many" or some
> similar phrase. I began to wonder if perhaps the signifancance of
> hIKANWN
> might be that the herd was "sufficient" to accomodate the number of
> demons
> since it is emphasized that
>
> hO DE EIPEN, "LEGIWN", hOTI EISHLQEN <B>DAIMONIA POLLA</b> EIS AUTON.

I believe the relationship you are pointing out is between POLLA and
hIKANWN, which I think is correct. The qualification hIKANWN with COIRWN
explains why Legion would ask for permission to enter the herd of swine;
it is because there were DAIMONIA POLLA, and this particular herd was
large enough to accommodate the "many" demons. But I think this
relationship is apparent whether we understand hIKANWN as "large" OR
"sufficient," for I think the assumption in the context is that a
"sufficient" herd would be "large," since it would have to accommodate
"many" demons. Perhaps hIKANOS in this case straddles the line
semantically between "large" and "sufficient," both being attested
senses of the word. A herd "sufficient" for the demons would be a
"large" one.
==========

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI


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