“`html
The Translation of Κύριος in 2 Corinthians 3:17: Lexical Nuance and Textual Integrity
This exegetical study of ‘The Translation of Κύριος in 2 Corinthians 3:17: Lexical Nuance and Textual Integrity’ is based on a b-greek discussion from December 22nd, 2013. The initial inquiry arose from a translation of 2 Corinthians 3:17 into Spanish, which rendered the Greek term κύριος as “Jehovah,” diverging from standard critical texts that typically present κύριος. The discussion highlighted a perceived discrepancy between this translation and the prevailing textual evidence, prompting an examination of the Greek original.
The main exegetical issue centers on the appropriate translation of κύριος (Lord) in the Greek New Testament, particularly in passages such as 2 Corinthians 3:17, and its relationship to the Hebrew divine name, the Tetragrammaton (יהוה). The core question is whether the use of κύριος in the New Testament, especially when quoting Old Testament passages where the Masoretic Text employs יהוה, implies that κύριος functions as a direct substitute for the divine name, thereby justifying its translation as “Jehovah.” This involves an assessment of textual criticism regarding the presence of the Tetragrammaton in early Greek New Testament manuscripts, the lexical range of κύριος, and the hermeneutical principles guiding translation decisions, particularly concerning theological motivations versus linguistic and textual evidence.
Greek text (Nestle 1904)
ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν· οὗ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐλευθερία.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- For 2 Corinthians 3:17, the Nestle 1904 text is identical to the SBLGNT (2010), reading: ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν· οὗ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐλευθερία. There are no substantive textual variants between these two critical editions for this verse.
Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)
Textual Criticism (NA28/UBS5): Critical editions of the Greek New Testament, such as the Nestle-Aland 28th edition (NA28) and the United Bible Societies’ 5th edition (UBS5), consistently present κύριος in 2 Corinthians 3:17 and throughout the New Testament. Crucially, there is no textual evidence from early Greek New Testament manuscripts that contains the Tetragrammaton (יהוה). The earliest extant Greek New Testament manuscripts, dating from the second century CE onwards, uniformly use κύριος where the divine name might be expected, particularly in quotations from the Septuagint (LXX). While some LXX manuscripts, especially those of a Hexaplaric nature or very early papyri, do exhibit the Tetragrammaton in various forms (e.g., archaic Hebrew letters, ΠΙΠΙ, or ζζ), this phenomenon is not attested in the New Testament Greek tradition. The consensus among textual critics is that the New Testament authors and early Christian scribes used κύριος rather than the Hebrew divine name.
Lexical Notes (BDAG): The Bauer, Danker, Arndt, and Gingrich lexicon (BDAG) provides several definitions for κύριος. The primary meaning is “master,” “lord,” or “owner.” Importantly, BDAG notes that κύριος “frequently replaces the Tetragrammaton” in the Septuagint. It also indicates that κύριος is “used in connection with Jesus” and can refer to various human beings, God, or Jesus. The lexicon acknowledges instances where it is ambiguous whether κύριος refers to God or to Jesus. However, BDAG does not assert that κύριος “is a substitute for the Tetragrammaton” in a way that implies it is the divine name itself, but rather that it serves as its Greek equivalent in the LXX tradition. The discussion highlights a difference between κύριος “frequently replacing” the Tetragrammaton in the LXX (a historical observation) and its being “a substitute for” in the sense of being semantically identical to יהוה in all contexts. The latter is a contested interpretation.
Lexical Notes (KITTEL/TDNT): The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT, Kittel) elaborates extensively on κύριος. It traces the word’s development from secular usage (master, owner, ruler) to its religious applications. In the LXX, κύριος became the standard translation for יהוה, especially in the context of reverential avoidance of pronouncing the divine name. This established a theological continuity, making κύριος a deeply significant term for God in Greek-speaking Judaism. Kittel also details the application of κύριος to Jesus in the New Testament, highlighting the theological implications of attributing to Jesus a title traditionally reserved for God. The fluidity of the term’s referent—God, Jesus, or even humans—is central to its semantic range. Kittel’s analysis reinforces that while κύριος bore the weight of translating יהוה, its intrinsic meaning remained “Lord” or “Master,” acquiring theological depth through usage rather than direct nominal equivalence to the Tetragrammaton.
Translation Variants
The verse 2 Corinthians 3:17 reads: ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν· οὗ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐλευθερία.
Grammatically, the first clause, ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστιν, features a predicative nominative where τὸ Πνεῦμα (the Spirit) is identified with ὁ Κύριος (the Lord). The particle δὲ (but, and) introduces a statement that clarifies or contrasts with the preceding context. The second clause, οὗ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐλευθερία, uses a genitive of possession or source: “where the Spirit of the Lord (Κυρίου) is, there is freedom.”
The primary point of divergence in translation lies in the rendering of Κύριος/Κυρίου:
- Traditional Rendering (“Lord”): This approach translates Κύριος as “Lord,” reflecting the direct lexical meaning and the overwhelming textual evidence from early Greek manuscripts. This rendering maintains the established tradition of early Christian texts and their theological interpretation, where “Lord” applies both to God the Father and to Jesus Christ, often in contexts that echo Old Testament usage of κύριος for יהוה. The grammatical structure supports this, identifying “the Lord” with “the Spirit,” then referring to “the Spirit of the Lord.”
- “Jehovah” Rendering: This translation renders Κύριος as “Jehovah,” based on the argument that κύριος functioned as a direct substitute for the Tetragrammaton in the LXX, and therefore, in contexts where the reference is clearly to God, the divine name should be restored. Rhetorically, this aims to highlight the personal name of God, which proponents argue was revealed and should be known. However, this approach moves beyond direct translation of the Greek term and involves an interpretative decision to “restore” a name not found in the extant Greek manuscripts. It also raises the question of consistency, as κύριος is used for multiple referents (God, Jesus, humans), and deciding when it refers to יהוה necessitates a theological judgment not directly evident in the Greek text itself. The absence of the Tetragrammaton in the Greek New Testament autographs means that any “restoration” is necessarily an inference rather than a direct textual recovery.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
The exegetical analysis reveals that while κύριος in the Septuagint frequently translated the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, the Greek New Testament manuscripts consistently use κύριος without any trace of יהוה. Lexical resources acknowledge the historical link between κύριος and יהוה in the LXX but do not equate the two terms as inherently synonymous in all contexts. The decision to translate κύριος as “Jehovah” in the New Testament is a hermeneutical choice driven by specific theological convictions rather than direct textual or grammatical evidence from the Greek New Testament. While understanding the LXX background enriches the theological understanding of κύριος, it does not necessitate altering the Greek text’s explicit rendering.
- “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
This rendering is a direct and lexically faithful translation of the Greek text, reflecting the consensus of critical editions and the historical transmission of the New Testament. It maintains the traditional and most widely accepted English translation. - “Now, the Lord—that is, the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
This translation emphasizes the identificatory nature of the first clause, clarifying that “the Lord” in this context is understood as “the Spirit,” without altering the underlying Greek term. It preserves the textual integrity while offering a nuanced grammatical interpretation. - “Now, Adonai in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of Adonai is, there is freedom.”
This rendering, while not a direct translation of the Greek term κύριος, represents an interpretative approach that acknowledges the Hebrew background and the reverential practice of not pronouncing the divine name. By using “Adonai,” it connects to the Old Testament tradition where אֲדֹנָי was spoken in place of יהוה, and offers a culturally and theologically informed reading without inserting “Jehovah” directly into the text.
“`