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Philippians 3:2-3 Possible solecism
1. Philippians 3:2-3 Possible solecism
Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. [kjv]
βλεπετε τους κυνας βλεπετε τους κακους εργατας βλεπετε την κατατομην [gnt]
… videte concisionem [v]
3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. [kjv]
ημεις γαρ εσμεν η περιτομη οι πνευματι θεου λατρευοντες και καυχωμενοι εν χριστω ιησου και ουκ εν σαρκι πεποιθοτες [gnt]
The
KJV (King James Version) uses "
beware" from "
be aware" but the Greek word is "
see" or "
observe". The word "
concision" is from the Latin.
"κατάτομη" ≈ "niche" as in a building or as mutilation in GNT (Greek New Testament) (one time use). What might this word mean in context?
"κατά" ≈ "down, against" and often serves to intensify the word to which it is prefixed as in "get down to business".
"τόμος" ≈ "slice" as in a "section" or "cut" as in a "division".
2. Solecism
The Greek for "beware" is that of "see" or "observe". The meaning of "concision" from the Latin and the original Greek is not clear.
One possibility here is that, in addition to any other meanings, Paul may be making a play on words in the form of a "solecism". Let use investigate.
Paul does this a lot in general and a lot in Philippians in particular.
3. Solecisms
The English word
"solecism" is the use of improper grammar as in a grammatical error in syntax. The word comes from the Greek city
"Σόλοι" ≈ "Soli" in Cilicia near the city of Tarsus. Paul was from Tarsus.
Aristotle uses the word "
solecism" in terms of deception but uses it for creating ambiguity in speech, often by way of pronoun case usage.
Over time, solecisms often became part of a spoken (and written) language.
4. Like it or not
Whether you "
like" it or not, the word "
like" was a solecism that came from an advertising "
slogan" (a word meaning "
hit" or "
strike") from 1954 (until 1972) for cigarettes.
Winston tastes good like a cigarette should. (not proper English, a solecism)
Winston tastes good as a cigarette should. (proper English at the time)
Many older people tended not to "
like" the improper English. Younger people tended to adopt the saying and "
liked" it. Soon, some people would, and some still do, use "
like" several times in every spoken remark.
Like, you know,
like it
like it is.
5. Ancient Greek texts
Ancient Greek texts were written an all uppercase letters and did not have spaces. If one read the text the meaning would be conveyed by the sounds made. So, as sounds changed the writing changed with it. This accounts for many textual differences in ancient Greek manuscripts.
Hebrew was more obtuse as there were no explicit vowels, only consonants.
6. Philippians 3:2 Solecism
Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. [kjv]
βλεπετε τους κυνας βλεπετε τους κακους εργατας βλεπετε την κατατομην [gnt]
Paul could be using a "
solecism" here but that is not clear. To do so, one might change the words as follows.
«κατατομην» as "concision" (Latin)
«κατα το μην» as "according to the month" where the "the" is not in the proper case - a common feature of solecisms (according to Aristotle).
This is pointed out for completeness. To get a better picture, we may need to
think outside the box.
7. Chapter and verse divisions
Chapter divisions were added (and chapters numbered) in the Middle Ages in the 13th century. Later, in 1551, in the Middle Ages, verse divisions were added (and verses numbered).
It is best to always check surrounding verses and, when appropriate, verses in the previous or next chapter, to see if those verses have important meaning for the context.
8. Successive verses
Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. [kjv]
βλεπετε τους κυνας βλεπετε τους κακους εργατας βλεπετε την κατατομην [gnt]
3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. [kjv]
ημεις γαρ εσμεν η περιτομη οι πνευματι θεου λατρευοντες και καυχωμενοι εν χριστω ιησου και ουκ εν σαρκι πεποιθοτες [gnt]
Whatever the meaning translated as "
concision" it appears that Paul intended to connect "
concision" with "
circumcision" in the next verse.
However there were no spaces in the original Greek. Nor were there much in the way of accents or other punctuation. Much of this came later. Let us look at the second verse.
9. Second verse
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. [kjv]
ημεις γαρ εσμεν η περιτομη οι πνευματι θεου λατρευοντες και καυχωμενοι εν χριστω ιησου και ουκ εν σαρκι πεποιθοτες [gnt]
Literal translation:
We for we are the circumcision ...
"ημεις" ≈ "we".
"γάρ" ≈ "for, since" (never the first word in a sentence or phrase).
"εσμεν" ≈ "we are".
Greek verbs do not need the "
we" as a separate word as that is part of the verb conjugation. Thus, the first "
we" is not needed!
10. Some statistics
Without analyzing every verse, here are the matches (by verse) in the
GNT and LXX (Septuagint) combined for various combinations of these words.
«ημεις εσμεν» : 6 times (we we are)
«εσμεν» and «ημεις» : 28 times (we are and we)
«εσμεν» but not «ημεις» : 68 (we are but not we)
«εσμεν» : 96 times (we are)
11. Scholars
Scholars will point out that it can be added for special emphasis. It can also be used, when needed, for play on words or puns. That may be the case here. Scholars tend not to like puns as puns require that grammar and spelling rules be suspended or otherwise ignored.
Aristotle points out that breaking some of these rules are accepted in practice and can be used for the purposes of deception.
Let us put together the end of verse 2 and the beginning of verse 3 and see what might happen.
Scholars may have too much "
idle time" as in "
leisure" - the original meaning of the word "
school".
12. Joined letters
προς Φιλιππησίους γ΄:2 βλεπετε τους κυνας βλεπετε τους κακους εργατας βλεπετε την κατατομην [gnt]
3:3 ημεις γαρ εσμεν η περιτομη οι πνευματι θεου λατρευοντες και καυχωμενοι εν χριστω ιησου και ουκ εν σαρκι πεποιθοτες [gnt]
«την κατατομην ημεις» (as written)
«την κατα το μηνημεις» (spaces changed)
The «
το» as neuter definite article indicates a possible solecism. There appear to be (at least) two good candidates for similar sounding words as in a pun or play on words.
"μνησθης" ≈ "rememberest" (as in Matthew 5:23) (switch "μην" to "μνη")
"μῆνις" ≈ "rage, wrath" (with omission of "m" as "μ")
The second one might be read (as a secondary meaning as a pun) "
see the corresponding rage/wrath".
13. Rage and wrath
14. Sophistic refutations
Aristotle wrote a book called
On Sophistic Refutations in which he detailed the "
false reasoning" used by Sophists (from the Greek word for "
wisdom") who would use invalid logic to convince others of ideas to make money for themselves. In English, "
sophistic" logic or "
false reasoning" is "
sophistry".
One of the many types of invalid logic detailed by Aristotle was "
eristic" reasoning. Paul uses that word often but it is often translated, without the "
bad logic" connection, as "
strife"
15. Aristotle and solecisms
In his
Sophistic Refutations, Aristotle gives some examples of solecisms that can or had been used for deceptive purposes. Interestingly, he uses four words as examples and one is
"μῆνις" ≈ "rage, wrath" that may be the one Paul had in mind.
English from Loeb#400, p. 77: What solecism is has already been stated. It is possible to commit it, and not to commit it, yet to seem to do so, as well as to commit it, yet seem not to do so. If, as Protagorus used to say, μῆνις (wrath) @CZ(t=[ and πήλης (helmut) ]) are masculine, according to him ... (when wrath is feminine)
16. Aristotle and solecisms
From what Aristotle says (in many examples), spoken speech had a far greater variation in gender and endings, etc., while still being understood, than formal written works.
English from Loeb#400, p. 77:
Almost all apparent solecisms occur owing to the word "this" or "it" where the inflection denotes neither the masculine nor the feminine but the neuter.
17. Epaphroditus
Epaphroditus is a "
fellow soldier" of Paul, appears to be from Philippi, is writing the letter down for Paul, and is delivering the message. He would likely been the one reading the message.
One can almost imagine Epaphroditus and Paul getting more and more carried away with subtle puns, even using the name Epaphroditus as "
beautiful" or "
charming" in contrast to Timothy as "
honoring God".
With such "
inside information", and used to following orders as a soldier, Epaphroditus could hesitate, mis-speak certain lines (for pun purposes) and then quickly correct himself, slide the pronunciation, etc. When asked he could "
play dumb" or just give a twinkle in his eye.
18. Ravages of time
The works of
Shakespeare (1564-1616) are full of funny allusions and puns and play on words and meanings. However, these do not come through in modern English. Those subtle remarks and allusions, etc., have to most people been lost to the ravages of time.
| Some works of Shakespeare |
| Comedy of Errors |
Romeo and Juliet |
Merry Wives of Windsor |
| Julius Caesar |
Phoenix and Turtle |
Much Ado About Nothing |
| Macbeth |
Merchant of Venice |
Midsummer Night's Dream |
19. Idioms lost to time
Many idioms or sayings become popular out of nowhere and then disappear into the ravages of time. Hieroglyphics were known at one time, but once forgotten, it took a while to recover their meaning.
A local idiom at a Dallas high school in the 1920's would have been lost to history except for a chance of fate.
That idiom was "
What's up doc?". One of those high school students got a job at Disney studios in California, kept calling everyone "
doc", etc., and those sayings were adopted as part of the character of Bugs Bunny.
20. Synergy
21. Synergy
Paul uses the Greek word for "
working together", as in "
synergy", in the both the first and second half of the book of Philippians.
Philippians 2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. [kjv]
αναγκαιον δε ηγησαμην επαφροδιτον τον αδελφον και συνεργον και συστρατιωτην μου υμων δε αποστολον και λειτουργον της χρειας μου πεμψαι προς υμας [gnt]
4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. [kjv]
ναι ερωτω και σε γνησιε συζυγε συλλαμβανου αυταις αιτινες εν τω ευαγγελιω συνηθλησαν μοι μετα και κλημεντος και των λοιπων συνεργων μου ων τα ονοματα εν βιβλω ζωης [gnt]
22. Philippians 2:25
KJV: Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
Greek: αναγκαιον δε ηγησαμην επαφροδιτον τον αδελφον και συνεργον και συστρατιωτην μου υμων δε αποστολον και λειτουργον της χρειας μου πεμψαι προς υμας
23. Philippians 4:3
KJV: And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Greek: και ναι ερωτω και σε συζυγε γνησιε συζυγε συλλαμβανου αυταις αιτινες εν τω ευαγγελιω συνηθλησαν μοι μετα και κλημεντος και των λοιπων συνεργων μου ων τα ονοματα εν βιβλω ζωης
24. Strongs - fellow worker
