121 Burn or Boast? A Text Critical Analysis of 1 Cor 13:3 καυχ σωμαι in any place in the Bible. So, this syntagmatic survey does not contribute to the solving of the dilemma whether it is καυχ σωμαι or καυθ σομαι. 03. In Pauline vocabulary, the word group καυχ ομαι/κα χεσις/ κα χημα has a greater frequency than that of κα ω. Of a total of 59x in the NT, in Paul alone the former occurs 55x. Of these 29x in 2 Cor and 10x in 1 Cor, whereas κα ω occurs only 3x in Paul. So, one could suppose that it is yet another use of the former in 1 Cor 13:3. I wish to make two semantic observations on the meaning of the καυχ ομαι word group. Firstly, it could have two inter-connected meanings the more common one being, “to take pride in,” “to glory in” or “to boast,” while having also an uncommon meaning, “to trust” or “put one’s confidence in31.” Show- ing the connection between these two meanings, Fee says, ‘We “boast” in that in which we have risked everything in order to secure ourselves32.’ Secondly, boasting has certain ambivalence in Paul. We can understand this in the light of the development of this concept in the OT as we have seen above. In 1 Cor 1:29 and 5:6 we find a disparaging nuance of boast- ing. Lambrecht says that Paul had good apostolic reasons to have been proud viz. eagerness of the Corinthians to help (2 Cor 9:2; 2 Cor 7:14), authority given to him by the Lord (2 Cor 10:8), his not being a burden to anyone for his personal needs (2 Cor 11:10), his Jewish origins (2 Cor 11: 21-22; Rom 11:1), greater sufferings for the sake of the gospel (2 Cor 11: 22-29), his privileges (2 Cor 10:13), visions and revelations of the Lord to him (2 Cor 12:1-5) and the anticipatory presence of the power of Christ’s resurrection in him (2 Cor 13:3-4)33. Boasting need not always be 31 Wise men of the OT had no place for self-glorying or boasting (1 Kg 20:11; Pr 25:14; 27:1) since such folly was a basic attitude of the foolish and ungodly (Ps 52:3; 74:4; 94:3). It was only seldom that pride was justified (Pr 16:31; 17:6). Referring to boasting, Rudolf Bult- mann says, “…denn in ihm kommt zum Vorschein, dass der Mensch auf sich selbst stehen und nicht von Gott abhängen will, dass er auf das baut, was er selbst kann und worüber er verfügt. Daher kann sich rühmen (llhth) mit vertrauen (h+b) synonym sein (Ps 49:7). Gott aber ist der allein Mächtige, vor dem alles menschliche Rühmen verstummen soll (Ri 7, 2; 1 S 2, 2f; vgl Jer 50, 11; Ez 24, 25). Paradox wird dem sebstvertrauenden Rühmen das einzige legitime Rühmen entgegengestellt, das in der Beugung vor Gott besteht (Jer 9,22f), der Israel’s Ruhm ist (Dt 10, 21), und der zu seinem Ruhm an Israel handelt (Dt 26:19; Jer 13, 11; Zeph 3, 19f.). So rühmen sich die Frommen oder die Kultusgemeinde der helfenden Taten Gottes (Ps 5, 12; 32, 11; 89, 17f; 1 Ch 16, 27f; 29, 11; Dt 33, 29; Jer 17, 14)”. Bultmann further maintains that in this manner both “boasting” and “rejoicing” could mean the same thing. Cf. Rodolf Bultmann, art. kaucaomai, TWNT (Stuttgart 1942- 79) 646-53, 647. 32 Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, 84. 33 J. Lambrecht, “Paul’s Journey to Paradise: Some Practical Issues in 2 Cor 12, 2-4”, in Bieringer (ed.), The Corinthian Correspondence, 325-46, 336-37.