ἀπαύγασμα (cf. Hebrews1:3; Wisdom 7:26) in Lampe, A Patristic Greek Lexicon

  

ἀπαύγασμα, τό, radiance;

 

A. Trin., of physical radiance as illustrating 1. generation of Son as eternal τὸ ἀ. τῆς δόξης οὐχὶ ἅπαξ γεγέννηται καὶ οὐχὶ γεννᾶται· ἀλλὰ ὅσον ἐστὶν τὸ φῶς ποιητικὸν τοῦ ἀ., ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον γεννᾶται τὸ ἀ. τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ Or.hom.9.4 in Jer.(p.70.17; M.13.337a); and as mediatorial, cf. splendor … hujus lucis est unigenitus filius et ex ipso inseparabiliter velut splendor ex luce procedens et illuminans universam creaturam … qui splendor fragilibus se et infirmis mortalium oculis … offerens … capaces eos efficit ad suscipiendam gloriam lucis, etiam in hoc velut quidam ‘mediator hominum ac lucis’ effectus, id.princ.1.2.7(p.37.7; M.11.135cf.); 2. co-eternity of Persons, Dion.Al.ap.Ath.Dion.15(p.57.4f.; M.25.501c) cit. s. αἰώνιος; ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁ υἱός, καὶ οὐδέποτε χωρὶς τοῦ υἱοῦ ὁ πατήρ· οὐκ ἐγχώρει γὰρ ἀλαμπῆ εἶναι τὴν δόξαν, ὡς οὐκ ἐγχώρει ἄνευ ἀ. εἶναι τὸν λύχνον· δῆλον δὲ ὅτι ὥσπερ τὸ εἶναι ἀ. μαρτυρία ἐστὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν δόξαν εἶναι … οὕτως τὸ λέγειν μὴ εἶναί τε ἀ., ἀπόδειξίς ἐστι τοῦ μηδὲ τὴν δόξαν εἶναι, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν τὸ ἀ. Gr.Nyss.fid.(M.45.140b); εἰ ἀ. παντὸς φωτὸς γεννᾶται μὲν ἐκ τοῦ φωτός, οὕ ποτε δέ, ἀλλὰ ἀχρόνως καὶ συναϊδίως ἐκείνῳ (οὐ γάρ ἐστι φῶς χωρὶς ἀ.)· καὶ ὁ υἱὸς ἀ. τυγχάνων, οὔ ποτε ἔσται, ἀλλὰ συναϊδίως, φωτὸς ὄντος τοῦ θεοῦ Didym.(‡Bas.) Eun.4(1.280e; M.29.676b); τὸ … ἀ. καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πυρός ἐστι, καὶ σὺν τῷ πυρί ἐστι· καὶ αἴτιον μὲν ἔχει τὸ πῦρ, ἀχώριστον δέ ἐστι τοῦ πυρός. ἐξ οὗ γὰρ τὸ πῦρ, ἐξ ἐκείνου καὶ τὸ ἀ. εἰ τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθητῶν δυνατὸν εἶναί τι ἔκ τινος, καὶ συνυπάρχειν τούτῳ ἐξ οὗπέρ ἐστιν· μὴ ἀμφιβάλῃς, φησίν, ὡς ὁ θεὸς λόγος … καὶ γεγέννηται ὡς υἱός, καὶ συνυπάρχει τῷ γεγεννηκότι ὡς λόγος, ὃς ἀ. δόξης Thdt.Heb.1:3(3.547); 3. consubstantiality, Thgn.hypot.fr.2(p.76; M.10.240a) cit. s. ἀπόρροια; τὴν λέξιν τοῦ ὁμοουσίου ἀκούοντες, μὴ εἰς τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας αἰσθήσεις πίπτοντες … ἀλλ’ ὡς ἐπὶ ἀσωμάτων διανοούμενοι, τὴν ἐνότητα τῆς φύσεως καὶ τὴν ταυτότητα τοῦ φωτὸς μὴ διαιρῶμεν … πάλιν γὰρ τὸ παράδειγμα τοῦ φωτὸς καὶ τοῦ ἀ. ἀναγκαῖον εἰς τοῦτο, τίς τολμήσει λέγειν τὸ ἀ. ξένον καὶ ἀνόμοιον εἶναι τοῦ ἡλίου; … τίς μᾶλλον … οὐκ ἂν εἴποι … ὄντως τὸ φῶς καὶ τὸ ἀ. ἕν εἰσι καὶ τοῦτο ἐν ἐκείνῳ δείκνυται καὶ τὸ ἀ. ἐν τῷ ἡλίῳ τυγχάνει ὄν, ὥστε τὸν ὁρῶντα τοῦτο βλέπειν κἀκεῖνο; Ath.decr.24(p.20.7; M.25.457c); ὁ πατὴρ … ἐγέννησε τὸν υἱὸν … καὶ οὐκ ἔκτισεν … ὡς ἀ. ἀπὸ φωτός †Ath.exp.fid.4(M.25.208a); ζητῶν παραστῆσαι … τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς γεγεννῆσθαι τὸν λόγον, τοῦ ἀ. ἐμνημόνευσεν· τὸ γὰρ ἀ. ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶν ἐκείνου οὗ ἐστιν ἀ., καὶ διηνεκὲς καὶ ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐδεποτ’ ἄνευ ἐκείνου ἐπινοουμένου οὗ ἐστιν ἀ. Sever.Heb.1:3(p.346.21); τὸ αἰσθητὸν τοῦτο πῦρ φύσις μία ὂν ἤτοι οὐσία τριάς ἐστι κατὰ τοῦτο, πῦρ ἀ. φῶς. καὶ οὐδὲν τούτων προϋπάρχον τοῦ θατέρου εὑρίσκεται … ταῦτα κατὰ νοῦν λαβὼν τὰ αἰσθητά … πρὸς τὴν ἀίδιον … τοῦ θεοῦ οὐσίαν … καὶ ἀπαντήσει σοι ἡ χάρις … δεικνύουσά σοι μίαν θεότητα, πῦρ οὖσαν ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀ. καὶ φῶς Gel.Cyz.h.e.2.22.16(M.85.1293a); cf.Or.Jo.13.25(p.249.29; M.14.444a) cit. s. ἀπόρροια; ib.32.28(18; p.474.7; 820a).

 

B. of divine irradiations and influences ναὶ μὴν καθάπερ τῷ Μωσεῖ … ἐπίχροιά τις ἐπεκάθιζε τῷ προσώπῳ δεδοξασμένη, οὕτως καὶ τῇ δικαίᾳ ψυχῇ θεία τις ἀγαθωσύνης δύναμις … οἷον ἀ. νοεροῦ καθάπερ ἡλιακῆς ἀλέας ἐναποσημαίνεταί τι, δικαιοσύνης σφραγῖδα ἐπιφανῆ, φῶς ἡνωμένον ψυχῇ Clem.str.6.12(p.484.17; M.9.325b); τὸ δὲ νῦν εἶναι βραχεῖά τις ἀπορροὴ πᾶν τὸ εἰς ἡμᾶς φθάνον καὶ οἷον μεγάλου φωτὸς μικρὸν ἀ. Gr.Naz.or.28.17(p.48.4; M.36.48c); τὰς ἀγγελικὰς … δυνάμεις … φῶς εἰσι καὶ αὐταὶ τελείου φωτὸς ἀπαυγάσματα ib.6.12(M.35.737b); of a supernatural radiance, A.(Pass.)Andr.14(p.33.8).

 

C. of demons τῆς γὰρ ὕλης καὶ πονηρίας εἰσὶν ἀ. Tat.orat.15(p.17.2; M.6.840a). (“Ἀπαύγασμα,” in A Patristic Greek Lexicon [Oxford: At The Clarendon Press, 1961], 178)

 

Katherine A. Shaner on the slave/servant (παις) in Luke 7:7 and related texts being called a "child"

  

. . . early Christian texts, including New Testament texts, often indicate the slavery system or the presence of enslaved people through more subtle vocabulary. For example, Matthew 8:6–8 uses the word pais or “boy” to identify a slave of a centurion (cf. Luke 7:7). Some commentators suggest that this term may signal that the person in question is a child or a young boy, perhaps even the centurion’s son. Yet the infantilizing of enslaved people was not invented in the American South. Calling an adult enslaved man “boy” was commonplace in the Roman world (Hatter 2021, 102–19). (Katherine A. Shaner, “Slavery,” in Behind the Scenes of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts, ed. T. J. Lang, Elizabeth E. Shively, and Bruce W. Longenecker [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2024], 477)

 

Robert Alter on Psalm 107:20

  

from their pit. The form of the Hebrew noun is plural and also odd. Some scholars emend the word as it stands, misheḥitotam, to mishaḥat ḥayatam, “from the Pit their life,” which reads more smoothly. In any case, the reference to near death is not in doubt. (Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible, 3 vols. [New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2019], 3:257)

 

(Pseudo-)Oecumenius on Galatians 3:1

  

Having shown himself taught not by men but by the Lord, Paul now teaches with greater authority, making a comparison between the law and faith. And he calls them foolish. For indeed it is foolish to abandon Christ and hold the law.

 

“Who has cast a spell on you?” He did not say, “Who has deceived you?” so that insult would not be joined to insult, “Who has cast a spell on you and envied you?” showing that they had previously been doing things worthy of envy.

 

“to whom Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified before your eyes.” And indeed he was crucified in Jerusalem. How does he say, “Which is before your eyes and among you”? He shows the power of faith, and that you see things afar off. But because it was previously proclaimed he said, that is, through the written proclamation of the Scripture, as if he were saying: The proclamation has painted the cross for you, but with the eyes of faith as if present have seen it. (Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians by Oecumenius: Also Known as the Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on the Epistle to the Galatians [trans. John Litteral; 2026], 34)

 

Research for Forthcoming Debate (May 26)

 Cross-posting from Youtube

I have ordered a few heavy-duty systematic theology volumes on the nature of Scripture and other works in preparation for my debate next month on Sola Scriptura. If you wish to support my research costs and other expenses, you can do so via: If you wish to support my medical expenses for liver and other serious health issues, you can do so via: (i) Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/irishlds/ (ii) Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Robert-Boylan-16 You can always donate to my medical expenses, too, at https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-expenses-liverrelated-and-other-issues Thanks!

Dustin Smith on Luke 4:40-41 and the Personalty of Demons

  

-Luke 4:40-41

 

While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

 

Luke is very precise in his depiction of this episode. He makes a distinction between the people that Jesus healed (αὐτούς) and the demons which he verbally rebuked (αὐτὰ). The crowds are masculine in Greek while the demons are neuter. This avoids any possibility of confusing the object of Jesus’ rebukes. He was clearly addressing the demons who spoke to him, not the victims of the demonizing. (Dustin Smith, “An Inquiry Into the Identity and Meaning of the Devil and Demons,” Journal of Biblical Unitarianism 1, no. 1 [Spring 2014]: 57)

 

Nedarim 32b: Psalm 110:1 is Addressed to Abraham

  

אָמַר רַבִּי זְכַרְיָה מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: בִּיקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהוֹצִיא כְּהוּנָּה מִשֵּׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן״. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִקְדִּים בִּרְכַּת אַבְרָהָם לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּקוֹם — הוֹצִיאָהּ מֵאַבְרָהָם.

 

Rabbi Zekharya said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael: The Holy One, Blessed be He, wanted the priesthood to emerge from Shem, so that his children would be priests, as it is stated: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High” (Genesis 14:18). Once Melchizedek, traditionally identified as Shem, placed the blessing of Abraham before the blessing of the Omnipresent, He had the priesthood emerge from Abraham in particular, and not from any other descendant of Shem.

 

שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ וַיֹּאמַר בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן״. אָמַר לוֹ אַבְרָהָם: וְכִי מַקְדִּימִין בִּרְכַּת עֶבֶד לְבִרְכַּת קוֹנוֹ? מִיָּד נְתָנָהּ לְאַבְרָהָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״נְאֻם ה׳ לַאדֹנִי שֵׁב לִימִינִי עַד אָשִׁית אֹיְבֶיךָ הֲדֹם לְרַגְלֶיךָ״, וּבָתְרֵיהּ כְּתִיב: ״נִשְׁבַּע ה׳ וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם אַתָּה כֹהֵן לְעוֹלָם עַל דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי צֶדֶק״. עַל דִּיבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל מַלְכִּי צֶדֶק.

 

As it is stated: “And he blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, and blessed be God the Most High” (Genesis 14:19–20). Abraham said to him: And does one place the blessing of the servant before the blessing of his master? You should have blessed God first. Immediately the Holy One, Blessed be He, gave the priesthood to Abraham, as it is stated: “The Lord says to my lord: Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Psalms 110:1), and afterward it is written: “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent: you shall be a priest forever, because you are a king of righteousness [al divrati malki tzedek]” (Psalms 110:4), which is explained homiletically to mean: Due to the improper words [divrati] of Melchizedek, the offspring of Abraham shall be priests of God forever. (source)