Some commentators have postulated that προγράφω in Gal 3:1 refers to (1) Paul's preaching of the crucifixion; (2) the Eucharist; (3) baptism (as in the baptismal service; cf. Rom 6:3-7); and even (4) an icon of Jesus (one EO apologist has forwarded that thesis). There are other proposals, too.
Moore forwards the theory that προγράφω refers to (1) a written document and (2) perhaps it was the Gospel of Matthew (which he dates to about a decade after the resurrection)
With amazement, Paul rebuked the
Galatians, accusing them of turning aside from the gospel which he had declared
to them. "O foolish Galatians! ... It was before your eyes that Jesus
Christ was publicly portrayed [proegraphē] as crucified" (Gal 3:1).
These are sharp words. And yet, the modern reader is left with the question, in
what sense was the crucifixion portrayed? Was Paul reflecting on his oratorial
performance before the Galatians? Or was he alluding to previously written
materials, which he had laid before their eyes which spoke of the crucifixion?
Following a review of classical, Hellenistic, and New Testament usage, this
section will conclude that the proegraphe in Gal 3:1 should be
translated with the sense of "previously written," such that Paul was
referring to a published document, such as a Gospel, which he had put in front
of them. This is significant, as Paul's rebuke was therefore not merely focused
on their rejection of what he had taught but was also a stinging reprimand of
their rejection of what a Gospel taught concerning the work of the crucified
Christ. (Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel: Arguments for an Early
Date for Matthew’s Gospel [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2024], 55)
Diachronic Analysis
The following diachronic analysis
considers classical Greek, Hellenistic, and Septuagintal usages of proegraphē,
in its various forms. The dictionary form of proegraphē is prographo,
which carries three principal meanings according to the LSJ lexicon. These are
broadly grouped as "write before or first," "set forth as a
public notice," and "write a name at the head of a list."
Two of these meanings are clearly coupled with something which has been
written. Yet even the "public notice" meaning presupposes that
written materials are in view, as the cited examples from the classical era
include a notice to appear for trial, a summons to a meeting, the proclamation
of a festival, and so on. Within the Hellenistic period, examples abound within
these categories, particularly in the writings of Plutarch, who refers to a
posted summons, the placarding of household goods for sale, a listing of people
to be put to death, citizen registrations, a posted advertisement of a cure for
distemper of the mind, etc. Likewise, Josephus refers to the decree which was
published to save the Jews in the time of Esther. And Milligan and Moulton cite
an example in which a father posted a public proclamation declaring that he
would not be responsible for his son's bad debts.
Within the Septuagint, there is
but a single instance of prographo, found in a passage from 1 Maccabees,
in which King Demetrius wrote to the Jews, releasing them from various taxes
and tributes, granting certain liberties, and granting authority for the
raising of a standing army (1 Macc 10:22-35): "I will further, that
there be enrolled [prographētosan] among the king's forces about thirty
thousand men of the Jews, unto whom pay shall be given" (10:36).181 This
Septuagintal usage appears to carry the sense of establishing a written
enrollment or registration, akin to the use elsewhere of the simple verb grapho
(1 Macc 8:20; 13:40) and of apographo (3 Macc 2:29; 4:14; Luke 2:1).
Verlyn Verbrugge notes that words
within the graphe word group (within which he includes graphō, prographō,
etc.) encompass not only writing, but also drawing, engraving, painting,
inscribing, etc. For example, the BDAG lexicon includes within its discussion
of prographo instances where grapho is used to refer to both
magical papyri and decorative statuary artwork. Ultimately, based on the
literary evidence, Verbrugge concludes that the "whole range of meaning
covered by the graphe word group" persisted into the
Jewish-Hellenistic era. Hence, based upon the above assessment, it may be
claimed that during the NT era prographo nominally referred to something
which has been previously written, in one form or another, including the use of
such when "set forth as a public notice."
A passage in Josephus which
refers to an emancipation decree issued during the reign of the Ptolemies in
Egypt is sometimes cited by biblical commentators as an example of a public
notice which supports a "publicly portrayed" translation in Gal 3:1,
without requiring a written referent. However, the context in Josephus clearly
demonstrates that even this particular "public notice" was in a
written form, as the passage indicates that the decree's various dictates were
being read aloud. (Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel: Arguments for an
Early Date for Matthew’s Gospel [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2024], 56-57)
However, BDAG does not offer any
specific instances where the “public notice” sense exists, without reference to
something which is written, drawn, etc. For example, BDAG cites under the “public
notice” gloss an example out of Josephus in which γραφω is used to refer to the making of a
picture of god. Josephus, Against Apion 2.252; Bauer et al., Lexicon,
867. (Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel: Arguments for an Early Date for
Matthew’s Gospel [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2024], 57 n. 45)
185. For example, Longenecker
claims that in this passage, Josephus uses προγραφω "locatively, in the sense of a public
announcement," without acknowledging that this public announcement came in
the form of something written. Longenecker, Galatians, 100. Bruce
similarly determines that the "prefix προ- is locative, not temporal," while neglecting that γραφω root still suggests something
inscribed, per its classical, Hellenistic, and biblical usage. Bruce, Galatians,
148. (Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel: Arguments for an Early Date for
Matthew’s Gospel [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2024], 57 n. 47)
. . . , one must consider whether
a figurative approach to prographo, which lacks any connection to
something physically written, is preferable or appropriate. Significantly, the
accompanying "before your eyes (kat ophthalmous)" idiom refers
merely to doing something before someone's face. It does not necessarily
restrict that action to an exclusively oral presentation. For example, the
idiom is used when the Lord commands Jeremiah to "take great stones and
hide them in the entrance ... in the sight of the men of Judah" (Jer 50:9
LXX). And earlier, the idiom is used when the false prophet "Ananias took
the yokes from the neck of Jeremias in the sight of all the people, and broke
them to pieces" (Jer 35:10 LXX). In both instances, the idiom is used to
emphasize that the action is to be taken before someone, not whether or not
something is to be said or read. (Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel:
Arguments for an Early Date for Matthew’s Gospel [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf &
Stock, 2024], 59)
For example, LSJ translates κατ'
όφθαλμούς λέγειν τινί as "to tell one to one's face," based on
Aristophenes, Frogs 626. Liddell et al., Greek-English Lexicon, 1278. To
my knowledge, there are no extent occurrences of όφθαλμος with προγράφω, other
than in Gal 3:1. (Daniel B. Moore, A Trustworthy Gospel: Arguments for an
Early Date for Matthew’s Gospel [Eugene, Oreg.: Wipf & Stock, 2024], 59
n. 58)
