( PART 12 ) DID THE EARLIEST POST-BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN WRITERS TEACH CHRISTENDOM'S OFFICIAL DOCTRINE OF THE TRI{3}NITY? = CLEMENT OF ROME – LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS – CHAPTER 4
ΚΛΗΜΕΝΤΟΣ
ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΟΥΣ Α
1ST
CLEMENT TOWARD [THE] CORINTHIANS
GREEK
TEXT: “...Γέτραπται
[1.]
γὰρ οὕτως· Καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ’ ἡμέρας,
ἤνεγκεν Κάϊν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς
θυσίαν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ Ἄβελ ἤνεγκεν καὶ
αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων
καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν. [2.]
καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ Ἄβελ καὶ ἐπὶ
τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ, ἐπὶ δὲ Κάϊν καὶ
ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν.
[3.]
καὶ ἐλυπήθη Κάϊν καὶ συνέπεσεν τῷ
προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ. [4.]
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Κάϊν· Ἱνατί
περίλυπος ἐγένου, καὶ ἱνατί συνέπεσεν
τὸ πρόωπόν σου; οὐκ ἐὰν ὀρθῶς
προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς,
ἥμαρτες; [5.]
ἡσύχασον· πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποσροφὴ αὐτοῦ,
καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ. [6.]
καὶ εἶπεν Κάϊν πρὸς Ἄβελ τὸν ἀδελφὸν
αὐτοῦ· Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον. καὶ
ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ
πεδίῳ, ἀνέστη Κάϊν ἐπὶ Ἄβελ τὸν
ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτόν.
[7.]
ὁρᾶτε, ἀδελφοί, ζῆλος καὶ φθόνος
ἀδελφοκτονίαν κατειργάσατο. [8.]
διὰ ζῆλος ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἰακὼβ ἀπέδρα
ἀπὸ προσώπου Ἠσαῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ.
[9.]
ζῆλος ἐποίησεν Ἰωσὴφ μέχρι θανάτου
διωχθῆναι καὶ μέχρι δουλείας εἰσελθεῖν.
[10.]
ζῆλος φυγεῖν ἠνάγκασεν Μωϋσῆν ἀπὸ
προσώπου Φαραὼ βασιλέως Αἰγύπτου ἐν
τῷ ἀκοῦσαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὁμοφύλου.
Τίς σε κατέστησεν κριτὴν ἢ δικαστὴν
ἐφ’ ἡμῶν; μὴ ἀνελεῖν με σὺ θέλεις,
ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλεσ ἐχθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον;
[11.]
διὰ ζῆλος Ἀαρὼν καὶ Μαριὰμ ἔξω τῆς
παρεμβολῆς ηὐλίσθησαν. [12.]
ζῆλος Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρὼν ζῶντας
κατήγαγεν εἰς ᾅδου διὰ τὸ στασιάσαι
αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὸν θεράποντα τοῦ θεοῦ
Μωϋσῆν. [13.]
διὰ ζῆλος Δαυεὶδ φθόνον ἔσχεν οὐ
μόνον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ
ὑπὸ Σαοὺλ βασιλέως Ἰσραὴλ ἐδιώχθη...”
- (Chapter 4:1-13,
“1st
Epistle to the
Corinthians, [ΚΛΗΜΕΝΤΟΣ ΠΡΟΣ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΟΥΣ Α] by
Clement of Rome,”
THE APOSTOLIC
FATHERS, I CLEMENT, II CLEMENT Based on the
Krissop Lake text of the Loeb Classical Library
First published
1913.)
LATIN
TEXT: “...Scriptum est enim sic: “Et
contigit post dies, attulit Cain de fructibus terrae immolationem
Domino{^}
; et Abel attulit de primitiuis{*}
ouium suarum et de adipe earum. Et respexit Deus ad Abel et in munera
eius, nam ad Cain et ad uictimas eius non respexit. Et tristis factus
est Cain ualde, et confusa est facies illius. Et dixit Deus ad Cain:
Quare tristis factus es, et quare corruit uultus tuus? Nempe, si
recte offeras, et non recte diuidas, peccasti. Quiesce: ad te erit
conuersio eius, et tu dominaberis eius. Et dixit Cain ad Abel fratrem
suum: Eamus in campum. Et contigit, cum essent in campum, exsurrexit
Cain in fratrem suum Abel, et occidit eum.” Intelligite,
fratres, quia zelus et inuidia fecit, ut frater fratrem suum
occideret. Propter zelum pater noster Iacob fugit a facie fratris sui
Esau. Zelus fecit Ioseph usque ad mortem fugari, et usque in
seruitutem deuenire. Zelus coegit Moysen fugere a facie Pharaonis
regis Aegipti, cum audiuit a cumtribule suo: “Quis
te constituit principem aut iudicem super nos? Aut occidere me tu uis
quemadmodum occidisti hesterna die Aegiptium?” Propter zelum
Aaron et Maria extra castra manserunt. Zelus Dathan et Abiron cum
tabernaculis uiuos deduxit ad inferos, quia contenderunt contra
fidelem Dei seruum Moysen. Propter zelum Dauid habuit inuidiam non a
fratribus tantum, sed etiam a Saul rege Israhel, qui persecutus est
eum...” - (Chapter 4:1-13, Latin translation circa 2nd-3rd Century
C.E., preserved in 11th Century C.E., MSS G.
Morin Sancti Clementis Romani ad Corinthios Epistulae version latina
antiquissima, Anecdota Maredsolana 2 ; Maredsosus,
Belgium, 1894.)
[FOOTNOTE
^]: Domino] Ita Const. Et LXX ; Alex. Et Syr. Gk., ( τῷ θεῷ ).
[FOOTNOTE]:
Genesis 4:3-8.
[FOOTNOTE
*]: Primitiuis] Gk., ( πρωτοτόκων
). Cf. Hebr. 12:23 “ecclesia primitivorum.”
LATIN
TEXT:
“...sacrificium Deo : Abel autem obtulit et ipse de primogenitis
ovium […] Et respexit Deus super Abelem […] Et dixit Deus ad
Cainum […] adversus famulum Dei Moysen...”
- (Chapter 4:1-13, AD
CORINTHIOS EPISTOLA PRIMA. SANCTI CLEMENTIS EPISCOPI ROMANI, ( EX
VERSIONE RUFINI )
Tomus Primus [Book I], Patres Apostolici, COLLECTIO SELECTA SS.
ECCLESIAE PATRUM, Complectens Exquisitissima Opera. By D. M. N. S.
Guuillon. M. DCCC. XXIX.)
A
COMPARISON OF TRANSLATIONS OLD AND NEW
CLEMENT
OF ROME (circa. 30-100 C.E.):
“...For [1.]
thus it is written: "And it came to pass after certain days,
that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to God; and
Abel also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat
thereof. [2.]
And God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his
sacrifices He did not regard. [3.]
And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell. [4.]
And God said to Cain, Why are you grieved, and why is your
countenance fallen? If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly,
have you not sinned? [5.]
Be at peace: your offering returns to yourself, and you shall again
possess it. [6.]
And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field. And it
came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against
Abel his brother, and killed him." [7.]
You see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a
brother. [8.]
Through envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his
brother. [9.]
Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, and to come into bondage.
[10.]
Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt,
when he heard these words from his fellow countryman, "Who made
you a judge or a ruler over us? Will you kill me, as you killed the
Egyptian yesterday?" [11.]
On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their home outside
of the camp. [12.]
Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the
sedition which they excited against God's servant Moses. [13.]
Through envy, David underwent the hatred not only of foreigners, but
was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel...” -
(Chapter 4:1-13,
“1st
Epistle
to the Corinthians, by Clement of Rome,” The Anti-Nicene Fathers
Volume One; Edited by A. Roberts
and J. Donaldson.)
CLEMENT
OF ROME (circa. 30-100 C.E.):
“...For [1.]
so it is written, And it came to pass after certain days that Cain
brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God, and Abel he
also brought of the firstlings of the sheep and of their fatness.
[2.]
And God looked upon Abel and upon his gifts, but unto Cain and unto
his sacrifices He gave no heed. [3.]
And Cain sorrowed exceedingly, and his countenance fell. [4.]
And God said unto Cain, Wherefore art thou very sorrowful and
wherefore did thy countenance fall? If thou hast offered aright and
hast not divided aright, didst thou not sin? Hold thy peace. [5.]
Unto thee shall he turn, and thou shalt rule over him. {This last
phrase has also been translated: Be at peace: thine offering returns
to thyself, and thou shalt again possess it.} [6.]
And Cain said unto Abel his brother, Let us go over unto the plain.
And it came to pass, while they Were in the plain, that Cain rose up
against Abel his brother and slew him. [7.]
Ye see, brethren, jealousy and envy wrought a brother's murder. [8.]
By reason of jealousy our father Jacob ran away from the face of Esau
his brother. [9.]
Jealousy caused Joseph to be persecuted even unto death, and to come
even unto bondage. [10.]
Jealousy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of
Egypt while it was said to him by his own countryman, Who made thee a
judge or a decider over us, Wouldest thou slay me, even as yesterday
thou slewest the Egyptian? [11.]
By reason of jealousy Aaron and Miriam were lodged outside the camp.
[12.]
Jealousy brought Dathan and Abiram down alive to hades, because they
made sedition against Moses the servant of God. [13.]
By reason of jealousy David was envied not only by the Philistines,
but was persecuted also by Saul [king of Israel]...” -
(Chapter 4:1-13,
“1st
Epistle
to the Corinthians, by Clement of Rome,” translated by J.
B. Lightfoot.)
CLEMENT
OF ROME (circa. 30-100 C.E.):
“...For [1.]
it is thus written: And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain
brought of the fruits of the ground a sacrifice to God, and Abel
brought also of the firstlings of the sheep and of their fat. [2.]
And God had respect unto Abel and unto his gifts; but unto Cain and
his gifts he had no regard. [3.]
And Cain was grieved greatly, and his countenance fell. [4.]
And God said unto Cain, Why art thou very sorrowful, and why hath thy
countenance fallen? If thou hast rightly offered, but hast not
rightly divided, hast thou not sinned? [5.]
Hold thy peace; thy gift returneth unto thee, and thou shalt be
master over it. [6.]
And Cain said unto Abel, Let us pass over into the field. And it came
to pass while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his
brother and slew him. [7.]
Ye see, brethren, jealousy and envy wrought the slaughter of a
brother. [8.]
Through envy our father Jacob fled from the face of his brother Esau.
[9.]
Envy caused Joseph to be persecuted unto death, and to enter into
bondage. [10.]
Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
because he heard his countryman say, Who made thee a judge or a
decider over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou didst the Egyptian
yesterday? [11.]
Through envy Aaron and Miriam pitched their tents without the camp.
[12.]
Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to the grave, because they
contended against Moses, the servant of God. [13.]
Through envy David suffered jealousy not only of foreigners, but was
persecuted also by Saul, king of Israel...” -
(Chapter 4:1-13, THE
FIRST EPISTLE OF CLEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS translated by Charles H.
Hoole, 1885.)
DOCTRINAL
EXAMINATION
Once
again as with the last two chapters, there is very little at all that
touches on our examination of whether the doctrine of the Tri{3}nity
is clearly and expressly taught in the genuine writings of Clement
of Rome.
A
few side points:
LAKE
Gk., ( τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων )
“...of the first ones to be born of the sheep...”
MORIN
Ltn., ( primitiuis ouium ) “...[the] earliest of [the] sheep...”
RUFINUS
Ltn., ( primogenitis ovium ) “...of [the] first ones to be born of
[the] sheep...”
ROBERTS
& DONALDSON: “...of the firstlings of his sheep...”
LIGHTFOOT:
“...of the firstlings of the sheep...”
HOOLE:
“...of the firstlings of the sheep...”
LAKE
Gk., ( πρωτοτόκων ) = adjective, plural, masculine,
genitive
MORIN
Ltn., ( primitiuis ) = masculine dative plural
- the first or earliest of its kind, primitive
- the first-born
RUFINUS
Ltn., ( primogenitis ) = masculine dative plural “...first-born...”
MORIN
Ltn., ( fidelem Dei seruum Moysen ) “...a faithful servant/slave of
God – Moses...”
RUFINUS
Ltn., ( famulum Dei Moysen ) “...the servant/attendant of God –
Moses...”
ROBERTS
& DONALDSON: “...God's servant Moses...”
LIGHTFOOT:
“...Moses the servant of God...”
HOOLE:
“...Moses, the servant of God...”
COMPARE:
Later chapters 43, 51, 53 of 1st Clement. Also LXX Exodus
4:10; 14:31; Numbers 12:7-8; Joshua 8:31,33; Epistle of Barnabas
chap. 14, Justin Martyr Dial. chap. 56, Theophilus Ad. Autol. Book 3,
chap. 9, 18 etc.
It
is interesting how, in both cases, the Morin text, uses, older, more
archaic Latin, than Rufinus, who was contemporary with Jeromes
Vulgate.
MORIN
Ltn., ( primitiuis )
MORIN
Ltn., ( seruum )
RUFINUS
Ltn., ( primogenitis )
RUFINUS
Ltn., ( famulum )
This
is a sign of the antiquity of this version. This is just one of many
many examples that show why many scholars think the Morin Latin MSS
is based on a 2nd-3rd Century proto-type, and therefore is
most likely the oldest copy that we have today.
Just
as a final note on this chapter.
A
study of this word Gk., ( θεράποντα ) will help us when we
come to later writers, such as Justin Martyr in particular, who uses
a number of different words for “...SERVANT...” in regard to
Jesus relationship to his God and Father.
It
will be instructive to learn a little now about the subtle
differences in the meaning of these words, so that we can return to
this post for reference later.
Trench's
work on Greek Synonyms, was ground breaking in it's time, and it is
still one of the most valuable works a student of Greek can have in
his library. It helps to distinguish the subtle nuances and
differences in the varying shades of meaning found within similar,
but, not the same, Greek words.
I
highly recommend this work, though, I must qualify this with a
measure of caution, because Trench was a Tri{3}nitarian, and his
theological bias comes out in his work at times, but on the whole he
is, what I would consider, one of the more honest Tri{3}nitarian
scholars, and therefore if one sifts out the mud, and takes away the
nuggets of gold to be found in this work, it can be of great help in
finding the correct and accurate definitions of many valuable, even
crucial, Greek words used in both the NT and the earliest ANF.
Now
back to Gk., ( θεράποντα ):
RICHARD
CHENEVIX TRENCH (circa. 1807-1886 C.E.):
“...ix. θεράπων,
δοῦλος, διάκονος, οἰκέτης, ὑπηρέτης.
The only passage in the N. T. in which θεράπων occurs
is Heb. 3:5: “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a
servant” (ὡς θεράπων). The allusion here to Num. 12:7 is
manifest, where the Septuagint has given θεράπων as its
rendering of עֶבֶר;
it has done the same elsewhere (Exod. 4:10; Deut. 3:24; Josh. 1:2),
yet has not made this its constant rule, frequently rendering it not
by θεράπων, but by δοῦλος, out of which latter
rendering, no doubt, we have at
Rev. 15:3, the phrase, Μωϋσῆς ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ Θεοῦ.
It will not follow that there is no difference between δοῦλος
and θεράπων; nor yet that there may not be occasions when the
one word would be far more fitly employed than the other; but only
that there are frequent occasions which do not require the bringing
out into prominence of that which constitutes the difference between
them. And such real difference there is. The δοῦλος,
opposed to ἐλεύθερος (1 Cor. 12:13; Rev. 13:16; 19:18;
Plato, Gorg. 502 d), having δεσπότης (Tit. 2:9), or in the
N. T. more commonly κύριος (Luke 12:46), as its antithesis, is
properly the ‘bond-man,’ from δέω, ‘ligo,’Etym. Note. 4
one that is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will
altogether swallowed up in the will of the other; Xenophon (Cyrop.
viii. 1. 4): οἱ μὲν δοῦλοι ἄκοντες τοῖς
δεσπόταις ὑπηρετοῦσι. He is this, altogether
apart from any ministration to that other at any one moment rendered;
the θεράπων, on the other
hand, is the performer of present services, with no respect to the
fact whether as a freeman or slave he renders them; as bound by duty,
or impelled by love; and thus, as will necessarily follow, there goes
habitually with the word the sense of one whose services are
tenderer, nobler, freer than those of the δοῦλος. Titus
Achilles styles Patroclus his θεράπων (Homer, Il. xvi. 244),
one whose service was not constrained, but the officious ministration
of love; very much like that of the squire or page of the Middle
Ages. Meriones is θεράπων to Idomeneus (xxiii. 113),
Sthenelus to Diomed, while all the Greeks are θεράποντες
Ἄρηος (ii. 110 and often; cf. Nägelsbach, Homer. Theologie, p.
280). Hesiod in like manner claims to be Μουσάων θεράπων:
not otherwise in Plato (Symp. 203 c) Eros is styled the ἀκόλουθος
καὶ θεράπων of Aphrodite; cf. Pindar, Pyth. iv. 287,
where the θεράπων is contrasted with the δράστης.
With all which agrees the definition of Hesychius (οἱ ἐν
δευτέρᾳ τάξει φίλοι), of Ammonius (οἱ
ὑποτεταγμένοι φίλοι), and of Eustathius (τῶν
φίλων οἱ δραστικώτεροι). In the verb
θεραπεύειν (==‘curare’), as distinguished from
δουλεύειν, and connected with ‘faveo,’ ‘foveo,’Etym.
Note. 5 θάλπω, the nobler and tenderer character of the service
comes still more strongly out. It
may be used of the physician’s watchful tendance of the sick, man’s
service of God, and is beautifully applied by Xenophon (Mem. iv. 3.
9) to the care which the gods have of men. It
will follow that the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, calling
Moses a θεράπων in the house of God (3:5), implies that he
occupied a more confidential position, that a freer service, a higher
dignity was his, than that merely of a δοῦλος, approaching
more closely to that of an οἰκονόμος in God’s house;
and, referring to Num. 12:6-8, we find, confirming this view, that an
exceptional dignity is there ascribed to Moses, lifting him above
other δοῦλοι of God; ‘egregius domesticus fidei tuae’
Augustine (Conf. xii. 23) calls him; cf. Deut. 24:5, where he is
οἰκέτης κυρίου. In agreement with this we find the
title θεράπων κυρίου given to Moses (Wisd. 10:16), but
to no other of the worthies of the old Covenant mentioned in the
chapter; to Aaron indeed at xviii. 21. It would have been well if our
Translators had seen some way to indicate the exceptional and more
honourable title here given to him who “was faithful in all God’s
house.” The Vulgate, which has ‘famulus,’ has at least made the
attempt (so Cicero, ‘famuloe Idaeae matris’); Tyndal, too, and
Cranmer, who have ‘minister,’ perhaps as adequate a word as the
language affords. Neither
ought the distinction between διάκονος and δοῦλος to
be suffered to escape in an English Version of the N.T. There is no
difficulty in preserving it. Διάκονος, not from διά and
κόνις, one who in his haste runs through the dust—a mere
fanciful derivation, and forbidden by the quantity of the
antepenultima in διᾱκονος—is probably from the same root
as has given us διώκω, ‘to hasten after,’Etym. Note. 6 or
‘pursue,’ and thus indeed means ‘a runner’ still (so
Buttmann, Lexil. i. 219; but see Döderlein, Lat. Syn. vol. v. p.
135). The difference between διάκονος on one side, and
δοῦλος and θεράπων on the other, is this—that
διάκονος represents the servant in his activity for the work
(διακονεῖν τι, Eph. 3:7; διάκονος τοῦ
εὐαγγελίου, Col. 1:23: 2 Cor, 3:6); not in his relation,
either servile, as that of the δοῦλος, or
more voluntary, as in the case of the θεράπων, to a person.
The attendants at a feast, and this with no respect to their
condition as free or servile, are διάκονοι (John 2:5; Matt.
22:13; cf. John 12:2). The importance of preserving the distinction
between δοῦλος and διάκονος may be illustrated from
the parable of the Marriage Supper (Matt. 22:2-14). In our Version
the king’s “servants” bring in the invited guests (ver. 3, 4,
8, 10), and his “servants” are bidden to cast out that guest who
was without a wedding garment (ver. 13); but in the Greek, those, the
bringers-in of the guests, are δοῦλοι: these, the fulfillers
of the king’s sentence, are διάκονοι—this distinction
being a most real one, and belonging to the essentials of the
parable; the δοῦλοι being men, the ambassadors of Christ, who
invite their fellow-men into his kingdom now, the διάκονοι
angels, who in all the judgment acts at the end of the world evermore
appear as the executors of the Lord’s will. The parable, it is
true, does not turn on this distinction, yet these ought not any more
to be confounded than the δοῦλοι and θερισταί of
Matt. 13:27, 30; cf. Luke 19:24. Οἰκέτης
is often used as equivalent to δοῦλος. It certainly is so at 1
Pet. 2:18; and hardly otherwise on the three remaining occasions on
which it occurs in the N. T. (Luke 16:13; Acts 10:7; Rom. 14:4); nor
does the Septuagint (Exod. 21:27; Deut. 6:21; Prov. 17:2) appear to
recognize any distinction between them; the Apocrypha as little
(Ecclus. 10:25). At the same time οἰκέτης (==‘domesticus’)
does not bring out and emphasize the servile relation so strongly as
δοῦλος does; rather contemplates that relation from a point of
view calculated to mitigate, and which actually did tend very much to
mitigate, its extreme severity. He is one of the household, of the
‘family,’ in the older sense of this word; not indeed necessarily
one born in the house; οἰκογενής is the word for this in
the Septuagint (Gen. 14:14; Eccles. 2:7); ‘verna,’ identical with
the Gothic ‘bairn,’Etym. Note. 7 in the Latin; compare ‘criado’
in the Spanish; but one, as I have said, of the family; οἰκέτης
ἐστὶν ὁ κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν διατρίβων,
κἂν ἐλεύθερος ᾖ, κοινόν (Athenaeus, vi. 93);
the word being used in the best times of the language with so wide a
reach as to include wife and children; so in Herodotus (viii. 106,
and often); while in Sophocles (Trach. 894) by the οἰκέται
the children of Deianira can alone be intended. On the different
names given to slaves and servants of various classes and degrees see
Athenaeus, as quoted above. Ὑπηρέτης,
which only remains to be considered, is a word drawn from military
matters; he was originally the rower (from ἐρέσσω, ‘remigo’),
as distinguished from the soldier, on board a war-galley; then the
performer of any strong and hard labour; then THE - ( SUBORDINATE
) - OFFICIAL WHO WAITED TO ACCOMPLISH THE BEHESTS OF - ( HIS SUPERIOR ), - AS THE
ORDERLY WHO ATTENDS A COMMANDER IN WAR (XENOPHON, CYROP. VI. 2, 13);
THE HERALD WHO CARRIES SOLEMN MESSAGES (EURIPIDES, HEC. 503). THUS
PROMETHEUS, AS I CANNOT DOUBT, INTENDS A TAUNT WHEN HE CHARACTERIZES
- ( HERMES ) - AS Θεῶν ὑπηρέτης (aeschylus, Prom. Vinct. 990),
ONE WHO RUNS THE ERRANDS OF THE OTHER GODS. IN THIS SENSE, AS -- ( AN
INFERIOR MINISTER ) -- TO PERFORM CERTAIN DEFINED FUNCTIONS FOR PAUL AND
BARNABAS, MARK WAS THEIR ὑπηρέτης (Acts 13:5); and in this
official sense of lictor, apparitor, and the like, we find the word
constantly, indeed predominantly used in the N. T. (Matt. 5:25; Luke
4:20; John 7:32; 18:18; Acts 5:22). The mention by St. John of δοῦλοι
and ὑπηρέται together (18:18) is alone sufficient to
indicate that a difference is by him observed between them; from
which difference it will follow that he who struck the Lord on the
face (John 18:22) could not be, as some suggest, the same whose ear
the Lord had just healed (Luke 22:51), seeing that this was a δοῦλος,
that profane and petulant striker a ὑπηρέτης, of the High
Priest. The meanings of διάκονος and ὑπηρέτης are
much more nearly allied; they do in fact continually run into one
another, and there are innumerable occasions on which the words might
be indifferently used; THE MORE OFFICIAL CHARACTER AND FUNCTIONS OF
THE ὙΠΗΡΈΤΗΣ IS THE POINT IN WHICH THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN
THEM RESIDES. See Vitringa, De Synagogâ Vetere, pp. 916–919,
and the Dictionary of the Bible, art. Minister...”
-
(Page 9, Servant, “SYNONYMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT,” By Richard
Chenevix Trench, D.D., London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co.
Ltd., 1915.)
[FOOTNOTE]:
The following Strong's numbers apply to this section: G1249, G1401,
G2324, G3610, G5257.
