Saturday 26 December 2015

Saturday 19 December 2015

XMAS ECARDS 2015

It's #christmas I'll be posting ecards for a week or so
some old some new
you can download and share these png files



I've transliterated the Greek into the Roman ABC
so you can get some idea of what the Greek text SOUNDS like!


well probably ...


Friday 18 December 2015

Minoan Octopus Vase


I'm just shamelessly bumping one of my favorites cos this #minoanvase is just simply a masterpiece!

Excellent balanced form. 

Superb painted decoration.

Beautiful composition of design that matches form and flows over it.

A #ceramics masterpiece !


Saturday 12 December 2015

DOUBT

Most of matthew 14 is about Faith

#faith #doubt #greek words #ntgreek

14:31 Jesus to Peter saving him from drowning

Small faith for what (about his command to come to him) why you doubted ?

eis here is more an adverb then preposition

distazoo is an interested verb which seem to be dis double plus tassw changed to a z distazoo ? the idea perhaps to doubt is to be double minded ?

Christmas ecards to share  coming next week!

I may also take a break and bump some old posts!


More on Ancient Greek COINAGE

Here's a lovely image of three of  the famous Athenian Silver Owl Coins showing how the design was refined over the centuries along with a modern equivalent!

#coinage #silverowl #atheniancoin #athena #euro


I've often wondered why the Athenians associated Athena with Owls.
Perhaps because owls hunted mice and in a country that had to import grain predators that preyed on vermin were valued?


Saturday 5 December 2015

BE Confident Fear NOT

#metousia 300  #aristotlesethics #matthewgospel #aristotle #courage #faith

still hardly any followers ???

You've read the tags and might be wondering what Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics might have to do with the Gospel of Matthew and my ongoing #Whatjesussaid series of posts  ?

Okay Todays short quote really demos how knowing some Greek and reading "pagan" literature and philosophy is a good thing for Christians doing Bible Study and GREEK Philosophy students!

Matthew 14:27

The apostles have seen Jesus walk on water towards them and think its a ghost of spirit or something. Note that Matthew uses the word PHANTASMA in Greek in verse 26. Now Phantasma is the origin of Phantom and a Phantom is NOT just a ghost or spirit but the APPEARANCE of something that SEEMS and can be SEEN as UNREAL ODD UNUSUAL such as a man walking on water on a dark and stormy night? They really werent quite sure what they were seeing but it startled them literally "Spooked" them?!

Jesus doesnt give them a long speech about the nature of reality or miracles but just short and simply commands and encourages them


THARSEITE EGOO EIMI  MEE PHOBEITE 


Tharsoo is one of those multiple meaning words varying on context.

It could be translated here as be brave / confident / happy /
and its coupled with its opposite state PHOBEOO / PHOBOS FEAR

So where's the Aristotle link?

Are you aware of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and his Doctrine of Means.

Read book two and read other sections in which he discusses courage.
WHile he uses the word andreia note how he uses thrasutees to mena rashness or over confidence and a kind of BAD courage.

Yes Thrasutees also comes form Tharsoo due to the greek habit of reversing some syllables ! especially thra /  thar clusters!

Aristotle's usage confirms that a word can change meaning in different contexts or have an extra meaning that that mind require a NOTE added to the translation.

Thi ties too to 14:31 which we will dicuss next time!

Please do consider reading Aristotle's Ethics if you have not already done so if only to increase your vocabulary of words used to discuss ethics!

And read the whole second part of Matthew 14 with its theme of the power of faith.

Finally in reference in recent events don't support ISLAMOPHOBIA

Remember we share a PROPHET.

Reach out to any Muslim neighbours with RAOK random acts of kindness. Don't preach or discuss politics unless they want to! Show them they have nothing to fear and protecting them from bigots is the best way to prevent "radicalization".

Thank you for reading this.



Friday 4 December 2015

The oldest coins?

The oldest #coins in the Hellenic / Aegean cultural area were probably these lion designs on coins from #Lydia used to pay Greek mercenaries.

The irregular shape is probably due to users shaving bits of gold off the coin later and that practice was the origin of the term defacing the coin.

The idea of a standard weight shape and shape and alloy standard rapidly spread to Ionia to the mainland but before there were Athenian silver owls and other currencies the lion roared first!