Corpus-Paul

[George F Somsel <gfsomsel AT juno.com>]

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 17:24:18 +0000 tiona AT comcast.net writes:

Gal 3:24 is often quoted here, so I have a question.

Why is paidagōgos translated as schoolmaster or tutor in most translations when Strong and Thayer and every other greek dictionary I can find, list the first definition as "boy leader".  The boy leader's role and thereby goal was to get the children to school safely.  Once the children were mature, there was no longer a need for the boy leader to take them to school, but they were still expected to go there (by the best route).

So if the Law was the paidagōgos (boy leader) wasn't its role or goal therefore to get us to Christ?  And isn't that what Rom 10:4 is saying?  The Goal of the Law is Christ.

Jeffrey L Tiona

___________

 

It frequently helps to check what the LXX has done with the MT.  The TDNT notes s.v."PAIDEUW, PAIDEIA, PAIDEUTHS, APAIDEUTOS, PAIDAGWGOS"

 

Experience of the discipline and correction of both individual and people by Yahweh does not affect the theocentric character of the OT revelation. Nevertheless, in so far as Yahweh is now presented as the Educator of His people, in so far as He teaches and admonishes and warns through the prophets, the OT message acquires a more anthropocentric ref. This applies everywhere in the OT where moral, social and pedagogic questions are raised. The many attempts to solve the problem of theodicy, in which suffering is viewed as punishment, testing, or a means of discipline and education, seem to lead away from the theocentric character of OT piety by raising anthropological questions. In this respect the irrational idea of testing does most justice to the mystery of God’s rule, whereas ideas of discipline, education and development tend to see God too readily in human terms. Hence these notions belong materially to the margin of biblical piety, and the number and nature of the relevant statements indicate the secondary significance of these trains of thought, which were often so important in later Christianity. Nevertheless, they find _expression_ in the Gk. transl. of the OT, and the Gk. term παιδεία is the linguistic means which enables the translators to give a pedagogic interpretation of salvation history. The Gk. words παιδεία and παιδεύειν are mostly used for מוסר (MWSR) and יסר (YSR).  Herewith the Gk. terms acquire a new and originally almost alien significance. παιδεία takes on the sense of discipline and chastisement. On the other hand, the OT text is permeated by the intellectual element of culture, education and instruction to a much greater degree than may be said of the original.

I do not say that your lexicon is in error in this particular instance, but I would recommend that you invest in a better lexicon -- preferably BDAG.

george
gfsomsel
___________