Page images
PDF
EPUB

It is not too much to say that almost every application of the principles and processes of comparative philology to the accurate weighing of the precise value, absolute and relative, of important words of the New Testament, has lessened the strain upon faith and given a clearer insight into the harmony which doubtless subsists between the different parts of the divine Word. Recent investigations into the exact meaning and force of the words air and widios have proved of immense value to the exegete who is set for the defence of the gospel of good tidings. But this fact can not be urged as a reason why other synonyms not less interesting and significant should be left altogether untouched. It is the purpose of the writer in this brief article to point out the essential differences in the meaning of the Greck words άnioría and anɛiteia which no author, so far as known, has yet taken pains to distinguish at length. The etymology of the words first demands attention.

Both anoria and aneifeia are derived from the same root. This root appears in its most primitive form in the old Aryan bhandh, to bind, to unite, (see Fick's Wöerterbuch der Indogermanischen Grundsprache). In Sanskrit it becomes bandh to bind, to unite; also to fix, to fix upon, spoken of the mind, eyes, &c. Joined with the preposition ni it sometimes means to fetter. It may be remarked also, that the causative sense of bandh is of frequent occurrence in Sanskrit, (see Benfey's Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p. 625; Bopp's Glossarium Comparativum, p. 262; Pott Etymol. Forsch. I. 251; Benfey's Griesch. Wurzellexicon, II. 94). We may add that this root is found under various forms in most of the Indo-European tongues. In the Gothic band, to bind, it appears but slightly touched by phonetic decay. The reader may compare the Latin fid-o, fid-ê-8; Anglo-Saxon fast; old H. German fas-ti; new H. German fes-t.

1 Curtius (Grundzüge der Griech. Et. p. 236, would derive nei∞ from bhidh, a weakened form of bhandh. Corssen and Grassınan adopt the same view. Delbruck however, in his reveiw of Schmidt's Gesch. des Indogerm. Vocalismus, (Zeitschritf, für Vergleich. Sprachforschung, Vol. XXI. p. 85), agrees with Schmidt ind enying that bhidh could have been the Graeco-Italic form.

We have neither time nor space to notice all the various forms which this word assumes in Greek, much less exhibit the process of derivation by which each form is produced. We shall endeavor, however, to indicate the steps by. which the nouns άnioría and aneíbria (with which we principally have to do), are derived from the most primitive form of the Greek verb.

Απιστία is derived immediately from πιστός, and πιστός (faithful, trusty,) is formed from the verb 0-0 the present tense of which is not found in Greek, though some of the tenses of meow are formed from the stem no. It is plain, then, that the literal meaning of άnwría (prefix a-without) is the quality of being unfaithful, faithlessness, unbelief.

'Ansiosa is likewise a noun of quality, and is formed immediately from άzens, (not to be persuaded, disobedient,) while άnans must be referred to reío, to persuade, or rather to the passive form neítom, to be persuaded, to obey. Aneibeux, (a=without as before) therefore, signifies the conduct of one who can not be persuaded, disobedience, contumacy.

We can give no rational explanation of the differences of meaning which subsist between άuoría and ancía without inquiring more particularly respecting the precise meaning of the words from which they are derived. The supposititious

-∞, (the present of this root was probably used at an early period of the Græco-Italian history), doubtless signified to trust, spoken of a momentary action, such action being usually expressed in Greek by a verbal root containing a weak vowel. Пla- may be called an intensified form of rub-∞,— the of the latter word becoming a by a process called, in Sanskrit, Guna, or vowel-strengthening. By this strengthening of the root the Greeks were wont to indicate a continued in contrast to a momentary action.2 Пlaw, therefore, primarily signfies to bind firmly, to unite closely as in friendship; 2 Prof. Whitney regards all such changes in the root as phonetic rather than dynamic, though he admits that phonetic changes may afterwards be put to dynamic Most philologists, however, adopt the other view. See Curtius, Das Verbum der Griesch. Spr. Vol. I., p. 15, f; also Peiles Introd. to Latin and Greek Etymology, Chapt. VI., where the subject is discussed somewhat at length.

uses.

then by a natural transition, the exercise of that trust or positive conviction which results in an attempt to win over others to a like belief. Hence neio-o is ordinarily used in the sense of to persuade. The signification of the middle or passive voice has already been given.

Coming now to the compound verbs from which anioría and ἀπείθεια are more immediately derived, we find that απιστέω properly means to distrust, to doubt, then to refuse belief; while anebo plainly means not to permit one's self to be persuaded, to refuse obedience.

'Anoría, therefore, may be properly rendered distrust, unbelief, with reference either to persons or things. It should be remarked also, that this distrust or unbelief arises from want of knowledge, or lack of interest in its object, rather than from prejudice. Areíbia, on the other hand, implies rejection of all efforts at persuasion whether by appeals to personal interest or to reason a confirmed unbelief, of which the natural result is disobedience.

[ocr errors]

Let us now carefully note the distinction which obtains in the use of these words in the Greek classics. Our citations must be few. In Theognis (Poetæ Lyrici Græci, Bergki's ed. page 427, line 831,) níoris and níoría are found in the same sentence; the passage is as follows: "I have lost property through confidence (níora), I have saved it through distrust (απιστίη).”

Eschylus uses aάnioría several times in the sense of "mistrust." We cite a single passage from the Agamemnon, 1. 269. Clytemnestra, in announcing to the Chorus the news of the capture of Troy, says: "You will learn a greater joy than you expect to hear; the Argives have taken the city of Priam." The Chorus replies: "How say you? through mistrust the word escaped me."

Sophocles (Oed. Col. line 610) uses anuoría in the sense of want of faith, mistrust. Oedipus says "Faith (níoris) is dying, but faithlessness (άnioría) flourishes."

Plato uses άoría many times. We make only two citations from his writings. The first is as follows: "They

seemed again to confound us who had been persuaded and to make us to doubt εις απιστίαν καταβαλεῖν)... The second (from the same paragraph) is found in the Phædo, 88, D. It reads thus: "Now he has again fallen into doubt vov is ámoríav xatɑnéntaxe)." Theophrastus in his "Characters," gives a definition of anoría. He says (p. 19, Foss's Ed.)" "άnioría of course, carries with it a certain suspicion of wrong."

Of the later Greek writers we shall cite only Longinus.In his treatise "On the Sublime," 38.2, he says: "Such an ill-timed encomium awakens mistrust (anorías), &c.”

We turn now to ansiosa. This word is used by no writer earlier than Xenophon, though the verb άnaέw and the adjective anaons from which anɛɛa is immediately derived, are used many times by the classic writers. Arbéw (poetic form for anaew) is frequently found in Homer with the meaning "to disobey," and it is also used once by Pindar in Pyth. IV. 36., where it signifies "to refuse."

The full form, analέw, however, appears first in the Agamemnon of Eschylus, line 1049. I give a free translation of the passage: "If you obeyed, why, then you would obey; but, perhaps you would not obey (άneboiŋ5).”

The passages in the classics where dans occurs are instructive inasmuch as they make clear the distinction in meaning which subsists between this word and απίστος.

Theognis (line 1235 Bergk's ed.), affords the first instance of its use. I give a literal translation: "O child, hear me! I will not utter incredible speech (άnɛoñ μõlov.")

Thucydides (2.84) applies the word to ships in the sense of unmanageable, while in Philo, 2.87, odýgov aлetéorego may be rendered "more unyielding than iron." Callimachus in the Ode to Diana, line 67, employs the word in the sense of disobedient. The passage is as follows: "In case a maiden is disobedient (anuléα) to her mother, the mother, (to frighten her) calls up Cyclops or lightening, &c."

We now reach the noun anɛíbia with which (together with άoría we a re principally concerned. Classic usage furnishes but few examples of the word; none, indeed, of the older

writers, except Xenophon, uses it at all. For this reason it may be well to translate the whole paragraph in which the word is found. Socrates said, "I perceive that these things are so; and yet the state appears to me now more favorably disposed for any worthy governor; for self-confidence begets. carelessness, indifference and disobedience (anɛíðeiαv). Xen. Mem. 3. 5. 5). 'Areíbea is used at least once by Plutarch, but I have not the original at hand.

In the NEW TESTAMENT ἀπιστία and απείθεια are used generally with clearly defined differences of meaning, and never as exactly equipollent and convertible. It should be remembered, however, that when words, especially those from the same root, take on ethical significations the subjective element often renders it difficult to seize the real differences in meaning that obtain.

Asking the reader to keep in mind the distinctions already drawn between απιστία aud απείθεια, we shall now cite all the passages in the New Testament containg dioría, that we may exhibit, if possible, the different degrees of ethical significance expressed by the word. We reject Matt. xvii: 20, since both Tregelles and Tischendorf here supplant ἀπιστίαν by

ὀλιγοπιστίαν.

I. Tim. i. 13, "I did it ignorantly in unbelief."

Mark. ix. 24, “I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Here the idea of blame worthiness first emerges; the father had already had evidence of divine power.

Rom. iv. 20, " He staggered not at the promise of God. through unbelief."

Matt. xiii. 58," And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."

Mark vi. 6," And he marvelled because of their unbelief.” That our Saviour regarded his hearers as culpable in rejecting his teaching is evident. Besides, in rejecting so many proofs. of the fulfillment of prophecy, they justly incurred more blame than Abraham would have done in rejecting a promise.

Rom. xi. 23, "If they abide not in unbelief."

Rom. xi. 20, "Because of unbelief they were broken off." Rom. iii. 3, "Shall their unbelief make the promise of God of no effect?"

« PreviousContinue »