EPILUSIS 2 Peter

EPILUSIS

2 Peter 1: 20

on interpreting prophecy and scripture

τοῦτο πρῶτον γινῶσκοντες

ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται

this thing first knowing

that every prophecy of writing

of personal / private selfish implied loosening / solution not happening

Peter is about to tell about how to spot a false prophet ….

by prophecy of writing he means the Old testament prophets but many people have interpreted this as the Scriptures as a whole including the New Testament.

So why is this important? The next word is ἰδίας which is one of those Greek words you have to check the context of usage of for it can mean private or personal and usually with an implication of selfishness involved.

Some take this as meanng only mnisters and scholars should interpret scripture but others say it means not to interpet scripture to support your own personal views?

Note the use of ἐπιλύσις

Peter is talking about using scripture to look for solutions to problems or maybe condemning the sort of reading that looks for secret codes or those who claim their “loosening” of a verse is the word of God and then proceed to behave in away that shows their opinion.

Ἐπιλύσις means release loose solve explain and interpret.

How to assess interpretations. Peter gives us a guide.

False prophets and teachers disrupt religion deny jesus are greedy and make profit off their followers and they are self willed full of bravado speaking evil … judge them by their actions.

Think carefully about the Greek and English and be careful how you teach others.

And do read the whole of chapter 2 ?

This poster has an M.A. in Classical Greek and also blogs on Classical Greek culture and other related matters. 

Two Paintings of the Graces

Two Paintings of the Graces

Pausanias tells us (Book 9. 35. 1-7) that while it was normal in his time the 2nd century AD to depict the Graces as nude he has seen older works of art in which they are clothed but alas none of those works survived even as Roman mosaic copies.

However here's one Roman era fresco from Pompeii that did.

and here to demonstrate Classical Influences on later art Raphael's depiction of the Graces.

Some Necessary bumping for Metousia

People I've been doing some archiving and editing and just discovered many posts  that were batch blogged or posted via my mobile Blogit app have not appeared on Google Plus so please consider following Metousia directly ?

www.metousia.blogspot.com

THE Olympian Pantheon

No particular reason for this post 

I just wanted to share one of my favorite modern depictions of the Olympian pantheon!

Matthew 5 19 to 20

Jesus' teachings on the Law continued
matthew 19 to 20

There are no unusual language features that I havnt already discussed in prior posts so I'm just going to go straight to a word for  word literal translation.

Verse 19

Who
or rather who ever cos a subjunctive  luseei follows  os
 which is next to ean  ei + an

whoever therefore loosens one of these commandments the least
and teaches  subjunctive again note the ee !
outoos so or even henceforth to men
least he will be called (future passive)  in the realm of the heavens

so be careful how you teach and note the next verse carefully


who but ever shall act/ do practise sounds better in english AND teach

PRACTICE AND TEACH !

this person great will be called in the realm of heaven.


Its not just a literal interpretation but an ACTION

This verse doesn't condemn "liberals" it reminds us we all have to try to practise what we teach.

Verse 20

I say for to you that whenever not is overflowing / abundant / the righteousness of yours more than (that) of the scribes and pharisees emphatic double negative no not shall you come into / enter into the realm of the heavens.

Sounds hard and harsh? Read on for further on in this chapter  Jesus continues to point out righteousness can be created by practical compassionate actions!

Good news follows!

Valentine's Day and Love

Its Sunday but I'm sure some of you are still celebrating Valentine's Day especially if you had to work on Friday and couldn't get together with your loved ones.

Some people say Valentine's day isn't just about romance anymore but should be used as an opportunity to show people you care about them.

Mmm isn't that Christmas or something you should strive to do ALL year around?

One of the most important verses in the bible about Love finishes 1 Corinthians 13.

νυνί δὲ μένει πίστις ἐλπίς ἀγάπη τὰ τρία ταῦτα

μείζων δὲ τούτων ἡ ἀγάπη

now and abides faith hope love these three things

and greater of these (3 is) love

Language notes

the iota added to now is for emphasis

Greek allows some conjunctives to go after the first word of a clause

Paul uses the comparative of μεγαnot a superlative he wants us to think of all three as linked

Now go and read the whole of 1 Cor 13 and if you got choclate or flowers or both share them!

Winged EROS

The tradition of depicting Eros as a winged youth is ancient.

its not entirely clear to someone unfamiliar with the action but he is playing with a bobbin of thread perhaps that used by the Fates?

Pegasus

#yearofthehorse2014
For the year of the Horse I thought it an idea to share some images of Pegasus.

the first two show Pegasus and Bellerophon slaying the monstrous Chimera and the third is Pegasus in flight. 

Matthew AMEN

Matthew 5: 17 – 18 AMEN

Jesus begins his comments on the “LAW”

Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας.

οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι.

Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθη ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ,

ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεράία οὐ μὴ παρέλθη ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου,

ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.

Literally not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets (the Old Testament)

not I came to destroy but to fulfill!

Truly for I say to you until pass away the sky and the earth (or heaven and the world)

dot one or one stroke = not any part however small will pass away of the law

until all happens (as prophesied)

νομίσητε from νομίζω N.b. Aorist Subjunctive plus negative

he is commanding his audiences to pay careful attention to his message

sometimes this use of the aorist subjunctive as a negative prohibition is translated as Let Not !!!

It's an order. While Greek did have an aorist Imperative there sems to be a preference for the subjunctive for “Don't do” type orders

καταλῦσαι is the aorist infinitive of καταλῦω …my aim is not to destroy ...

the law and the prophets

the books of law and prophecies were regarded as the most important part of the Old Testament

Amen is a loan word from Hebrew. Verily truly really indeed is all valid translations.

The amen says that the speaker wants you to trust what he says s being true and reliable.

There are many words in Hebrew Arabic Syriace and Aramaic derived from the A – M – N radical.

Παρέλθη another Aorist subjunctive

a dot or stroke … remember this is an age of handwritten letters.

Part of a letter could be intentionally or accidentally scraped off papyrus or parchment.

Note the DOUBLE NEGATIVE lest no not no none nothing οὐ μὴ until all happens

Now go and reread the whole passage in Greek or English or both!

However while the law abides to the world's end we have to apply the Law with compassion and justice. He does not say obsess on every detail he drwas our attention to its endurance. Some people claim only the most literal interpretations of scriptures are valid.

More on this next time. A note given the length of the following passages I will be not doing a word for word translation just drawign your attention to certain features of importance in greek.

Next week our Lord teaches about the Ten Commandments! Go and read Matthew 5 to get ready!

Readers in australian time zones I normally get this posted earlier but there was wifi interference! Sorry!

Pray For Metousia

Im running late cos I had to go down to mall to get decent wifi signal. Hopefully this test message works. Please pray whatever disrupts the wifi signal in my area ceases soon.