λογικὸν in 1 Peter 2:2

[David Opderbeck]

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I've been studying 1 Peter, using David Bentley Hart's (DBH) recent NT translation as one of my English versions. There are some really interesting differences in DBH's translation. Here is one -- curious for any thoughts:

1 Peter 2:2: ὡς ἀρτιγέννητα βρέφη τὸ λογικὸν ἄδολον γάλα ἐπιποθήσατε, ἵνα ἐν αὐτῷ αὐξηθῆτε εἰς σωτηρίαν,

NIV: Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

NRS: Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation--

DBH: Crave the unadulterated milk of reason like newborn babes, so that you may thereby grow into salvation,

The phrase I'm focused on is "pure spiritual milk" or "unadulterated milk of reason" -- potentially a really interesting difference!

I think I like Hart's rendering of λογικὸν ἄδολον γάλα better. λογικὸν in the classical sense refers to reason, I think. I'm not sure why Hart renders λογικὸν as though it were a noun in the genitive though, instead of as an adjective ("reasonable milk"?)

I note also that DBH translates λογικὴν similarly in Romans 12:1 in the phrase τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν as "your rational worship" instead of "your true and proper" (NIV) or "spiritual" (NRS) worship. "Rational" sounds odd in Romans 12:1, but Romans 12:2 refers to the renewal of the "mind" or (per DBH) "intellect" (νοὸς) so the context there does seem to refer to the "mind" and not the "spirit."

I'm curious, though, why in 1 Peter 2:2 as well as Romans 12:2 "spirit" or "spiritual" seems to be the more conventional reading?

[Barry Hofstetter]

λογικός, ή, όν ([adv. λογικῶς Ath. 27, 2] a favorite expr. of philosphers since Aristot.; SIG 803, 5. Not LXX, but oft. Philo, Just., Tat., Ath.) pert. to being carefully thought through, thoughtful λογικὴ λατρεία a thoughtful service (in a dedicated spiritual sense) Ro 12:1 (the cognitive aspect anticipates the phrase εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ; cp. Herm. Wr. 1, 31 λογικὴ θυσία; 13, 18; 21; Epict. 1, 16, 20f the singing of hymns is the sacred service of a human being, as a λογικός=one endowed with reason; 3, 1, 26 τὸ λογικὸν ἔχεις ἐξαίρετον· τοῦτο κόσμει καὶ καλλώπιζε. Philo, Spec. Leg. 1, 277 God places no value on sacrificial animals, but on τοῦ θύοντος πνεῦμα λογικόν. TestLevi 3:6 λ. καὶ ἀναίμακτος προσφορά [v.l. θυσία]; Ath., 13, 2; Eus., HE 4, 23, 13; cp. the exhortative pattern of Plut., Mor. 478de.—Rtzst., Mysterienrel.3 328f; Ltzm., Hdb. exc. on Ro 12:1; BSchmidt, D. geistige Gebet, diss. Bresl. 1916; OCasel, Jahrb. f. Liturgiewissensch. 4, 1924, 38ff; CMoule, JTS n.s. 1, ’50, 34f). Most likely τὸ λογικὸν ἄδολον γάλα 1 Pt 2:2 is to be taken in a related way pure spiritual milk; it is to be borne in mind that λ. means spiritual not only in the sense of πνευματικός, but also in contrast to ‘literal’, w. the mng. ‘metaphorical’ (cp. Pel-Leg. p. 20: the bishop is the shepherd τῶν λογικῶν προβάτων τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Eus., HE 1, 1, 4 ἐκ λογικῶν λειμώνων; s. DMcCartney, ZNW 82, ’91, 128–32, w. emphasis on Hellenic connection of reason and verbal communication).—DELG s.v. λέγω B 2. M-M. TW.

Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 598). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

[David Opderbeck]

(Saw your moderation comment. Name is David Opderbeck. Not sure how to update that).

Yes I saw that note in Danker as well -- though it doesn't seem very illuminating! It's hard to know what that "most likely" judgment is based on.