rwp - counting

rwp@1Corinthians:14:1 @{Follow after love} (\dikete tn agapn\). As if a veritable chase. Paul comes back to the idea in strkjv@12:31| (same use of \zloute\)...other spiritual gifts not counting faith,...13:13|. {But rather that ye may prophesy} (\mallon de hina prophteute\). Distinct aim in view as in verse 5|. Old verb from \prophts\, common in N.T. Present subjunctive, "that ye may keep on prophesying."

rwp@1Thessalonians:5:20 @{Despise not prophesyings} (\prophteias m exoutheneite\). Same construction, stop counting as nothing (\exouthene\, \outhen=ouden\), late form in LXX. Plutarch has \exoudeniz\. Plural form \prophteias\ (accusative). Word means {forth-telling} (\pro-phmi\) rather than {fore-telling} and is the chief of the spiritual gifts (1Corinthians:14|) and evidently depreciated in Thessalonica as in Corinth later.

rwp@Acts:1:26 @{He was numbered} (\sunkatepsphisth\). To the Jews the lot did not suggest gambling, but "the O.T. method of learning the will of Jehovah" (Furneaux). The two nominations made a decision necessary and they appealed to God in this way. This double compound \sunkatapsphiz\ occurs here alone in the N.T. and elsewhere only in Plutarch (_Them_. 21) in the middle voice for condemning with others. \Sunpsphiz\ occurs in the middle voice in strkjv@Acts:19:19| for counting up money and also in Aristophanes. \Psphiz\ with \dapann\ occurs in strkjv@Luke:14:28| for counting the cost and in strkjv@Revelation:13:18| for "counting" the number of the beast. The ancients used pebbles (\psphoi\) in voting, black for condemning, white (Revelation:2:17|) in acquitting. Here it is used in much the same sense as \katarithme\ in verse 17|.

rwp@Luke:14:28 @{Build a tower} (\purgon oikodomsai\). A common metaphor, either a tower in the city wall like that by the Pool of Siloam (Luke:13:4|) or a watchtower in a vineyard (Matthew:21:33|) or a tower-...has the lesson of counting the...{Sit down} (\kathisas\). Attitude of deliberation. {First} (\prton\). First things first. Songs:in verse 31|. {Count} (\psphizei\). Common verb in late writers, but only here and strkjv@Revelation:13:18| in the N.T. The verb is from \psphos\...in voting and so counting. Calculate..._calculus_, a pebble. To vote was to cast a pebble (\tithmi psphon\). Luke has Paul using "deposit a pebble" for casting his vote (Acts:26:10|). {The cost} (\tn dapann\). Old and common word, but here only in the N.T. from \dapt\, to tear, consume, devour. Expense is something which eats up one's resources. {Whether he hath wherewith to complete it} (\ei echei eis apartismon\). If he has anything for completion of it. \Apartismon\ is a rare and late word (in the papyri and only here in the N.T.). It is from \apartiz\, to finish off (\ap-\ and \artiz\ like our articulate), to make even or square. Cf. \exrtismenos\ in strkjv@2Timothy:3:17|.

rwp@Mark:10:46 @{From Jericho} (\apo Iereich\). See on ¯Matthew:20:29| for discussion of this phrase and Luke's (Luke:18:35|) "nigh unto Jericho" and the two Jerichos, the old and the new Roman (Luke). The new Jericho was "about five miles W. of the Jordan and fifteen E. of Jerusalem, near the mouth of the _Wady Kelt_, and more than a mile south of the site of the ancient town" (Swete). {Great multitude} (\ochlou hikanou\). Considerable, more than sufficient. Often in Luke and the papyri in this sense. See strkjv@Matthew:3:11| for the other sense of fit for \hikanos\. {Bartimaeus} (\Bartimaios\). Aramaic name like Bartholomew, \bar\ meaning son like Hebrew _ben_. Songs:Mark explains the name meaning "the son of Timaeus" (\ho huios Timaiou\). Mark alone gives his name while strkjv@Matthew:20:30| mentions two which see for discussion. {Blind beggar} (\tuphlos prosaits\), "begging" (\epaitn\) Luke has it (Luke:18:35|). All three Gospels picture him as {sitting by the roadside} (\ekathto para tn hodon\)...once walked the streets counting all...-half the male population. The women I could not count, for they are rigidly veiled" (_The Land and the Book_). The dust, the glare of the sun, the unsanitary habits of the people spread contagious eye-diseases.

rwp@Matthew:1:1 @{The Son of David, the son of Abraham} (\huiou Daueid huiou Abraam\). Matthew proposes to show that Jesus Christ is on the human side the son of David, as the Messiah was to be, and the son of Abraham, not merely a real Jew and the heir of the promises, but the promise made to Abraham. Songs:Matthew begins his line with Abraham while Luke traces his line back to Adam. The Hebrew and Aramaic often used the word son (\bn\) for the quality or character, but here the idea is descent. Christians are called sons of God because Christ has bestowed this dignity upon us (Romans:8:14; strkjv@9:26; strkjv@Galatians:3:26; strkjv@4:5-7|). Verse 1 is the description of the list in verses 2-17|. The names are given in three groups, Abraham to David (2-6|), David to Babylon Removal (6-11|), Jechoniah to Jesus (12-16|). The removal to Babylon (\metoikesias Babulnos\) occurs at the end of verse 11|, the beginning of verse 12|, and twice in the resume in verse 17|. This great event is used to mark off the two last divisions from each other. It is a good illustration of the genitive as the case of genus or kind. The Babylon removal could mean either to Babylon or from Babylon or, indeed, the removal of Babylon. But the readers would know the facts from the Old Testament, the removal of the Jews to Babylon. Then verse 17|...fourteen in each by counting David...(Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba the wife of Uriah) are likewise not counted. But it is a most interesting list.

rwp@Matthew:11:29 @{Take my yoke upon you and learn of me} (\arate ton zugon mou eph'humas kai mathete ap'emou\). The rabbis used yoke for school as many pupils find it now a yoke. The English word "school" is Greek for leisure (\schol\). But Jesus offers refreshment (\anapausin\) in his school and promises to make the burden light, for he is a meek and humble teacher. Humility was not a virtue among the ancients. It was ranked with servility. Jesus has made a virtue of this vice. He has glorified this attitude so that Paul urges it (Phillipians:2:3|)...lowliness of mind each counting other...\chrstos\. Moffatt puts it "kindly." That is the meaning in the Septuagint for persons. We have no adjective that quite carries the notion of kind and good. The yoke of Christ is useful, good, and kindly. Cf. strkjv@Songs:1:10|.

rwp@Revelation:17:10 @{Seven kings} (\basileis hepta\). This is another change in the symbolism. The identification of these seven kings is one of the puzzles of the book. {The five are fallen} (\hoi pente epesan\). Second aorist active indicative of \pipt\ with the \-an\ ending. Common for the downfall of kings (Ezekiel:29:5; strkjv@30:6; strkjv@Isaiah:21:9|, etc.). See strkjv@2Samuel:3:38|. {The one is} (\ho heis estin\). The one when this vision is dated. {The other is not yet come} (\ho allos oup lthen\). Prophetic second aorist active of \erchomai\...come. The difficulty about counting these...{When he cometh} (\hotan elthi\). Indefinite temporal clause for the future, with \hotan\ and the second aorist active subjunctive of \erchomai\, "whenever he comes." {He must continue a little while} (\oligon auton dei meinai\). Swete takes this to be Titus, who died September 13, 81, after a short reign.

CONCORD counting