Laura Tack, «A Face Reflecting Glory. 2 Cor 3,18 in its Literary Context (2 Cor 3,1 – 4,15).» biblica, Vol. 96 (2015) 85-112 page 86

Vol 96 (2015)

Laura Tack, «A Face Reflecting Glory. 2 Cor 3,18 in its Literary Context (2 Cor 3,1 – 4,15).», Vol. 96 (2015) 85-112

This contribution investigates the translation of the hapax legomenon katoptrizo/menoi in 2 Cor 3,18; in addition to philological and religionhistorical arguments, in particular the article takes into account the broader literary context (2 Corinthians 3–4). The main theme of that context, embodied proclamation, turns out to be an important justification of the translation “to reflect as a mirror”. Especially the link between 2 Cor 3,18 and the whole of 2 Corinthians 4, which describes Paul’s somatic identification with and manifestation of Christ, results in understanding 2 Cor 3,18 as describing the unveiled face that reflects the divine glory as a mirror.

TAGS

to reflect as a mirror

Page 86/112
‹
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
›

05_Tack_copiaaaaa_85-112 28/04/15 12:35 Pagina 86 86 LAURA TACK metamorfou,meqa) 2. The chart below schematically represents the different parts of the verse. The subject of the main verb metamorfou,meqa is explicitly mentioned at the beginning of the verse (h`mei/j pa,ntej). This main verb and its subject are further qualified by the direct object th.n auvth.n eivko,na. Another modifier is the ad- verbial participle katoptrizo,menoi with its own direct object th.n do,xan kuri,ou. As a “participium coniunctum” this participle qual- ifies the main action of the sentence, either in a causal, conditional, concessive, final, modal or temporal way 3. On the basis of the specific context, this study tends to understand this participle as modal. As such it expresses in what way the action that is described by the main verb metamorfou,meqa takes place. The participle katoptrizo,menoi thus describes the subject’s act owing to which the transformation of the subject’s whole being (i.e. metamorfou,meqa) occurs. The instrumental dative that is constituted by the attributive participle avnakekalumme,nw| and the noun prosw,pw| further modify the adverbial participle katoptrizo,menoi and explain by which means the subject is carrying out the action that is qualified by katoptrizo,menoi. The adverbial adjunct avpo. do,xhj eivj do,xan further qualifies both the participle and the main verb. The phrase ends with the subordinate clause kaqa,per avpo. kuri,ou pneu,matoj which explains the origin of the actions described by both the par- ticiple and the main verb. Depending on the exact meaning of the different parts of the sentence, 2 Cor 3,18 receives its sense as a whole. Before we deal with the translation of katoptrizo,menoi, which belongs to one of these parts, we start with mapping out the possible shades of meaning expressed by the other parts. 2 Cor 3,18 (NA28) h`mei/j de. pa,ntej katoptrizo,menoi metamorfou,meqa th.n do,xan kuri,ou th.n auvth.n eivko,na avnakekalumme,nw| prosw,pw| avpo. do,xhj eivj do,xan kaqa,per avpo. kuri,ou pneu,matoj 2 I. NAYAK, “The Meaning of katoptrizomenoi in 2 Cor 3,18”, Euntes Do- cete 55 (2002) 33-44, 33. 3 BDR § 418.