Greetings,
According to BDAG, the word HEXIS (εξις) really means “a state of maturity” and alternatively translate Heb 5:14: “But solid food is for adults, who because of their mature state have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.” But they acknowledge that Greek lexicons and translations render the word as exercise/practice. Which translation is correct?
Thanks.
On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 12:29 PM, Robert Campanaro wrote:
John A. L. Lee, A History of New Testament Lexicography (SBG 8; New York: Peter Lang, 2003), has an excellent chapter on this very word (pp. 279-295). He argues that ἕξις means “condition.”
Stephen Carlson
I haven’t seen the chapter in Lee’s book to which Stephen Carlson refers. But after looking at the question from scratch, here’s my take:
First let me cite the BDAG entry verbatim; for brevity’s sake, with transliteration rather than with Greek font:
hEXIS, EWS, hH (Pre-Socr. et al., IIasos 98, 16 [I BC]; POxy 2190, 16 [I AD]; LXX; in var. mngs. ‘physical/mental state, proficiency, skill’) in the only place in which it is used in our lit. it refers to a state of maturity, maturity (cp. ‘characteristic’ Philo, Leg. All. 1, 10, 3; ‘skill, proficiency’: Polyb. 10, 47, 7; 21, 9, 1; Diod. S. 2, 29, 4; Sir prol 1:11; IIasos s. above; EpArist 121) AISQHTHRIA DIA THN hE. GEGUMNASMENA (solid food is for adults who) because of their mature state (have) their senses trained (to distinguish between good and evil) Hb 5:14 (so JLee, NovT 39, ’97, 151–76, esp. p. 166; MKiley, CBQ 42, ’80, 501–3: ‘characteristic state [as adults]’). With the exception of ASouter, A Pocket Lexicon to the Gk. NT 1916 (s. s.v. ‘condition, state’), lexicons of NT Gk., as well as versions and translations of the NT, gener. render hEX. in our pass. w. ‘exercise, practice’.—DELG s.v. 1 ECW. TW. Sv.
LSJ offers the following item that seems to me most relevant for hEXIS:
(ECW intr.) a being in a certain state, a permanent condition as produced by practice (PRAXIS), diff. from SCESIS (which is alterable)
It might be well to have the text of Heb 5:14 before our eyes also:
Heb. 5:14 τελείων δέ ἐστιν ἡ στερεὰ τροφή, τῶν διὰ τὴν ἕξιν τὰ αἰσθητήρια γεγυμνασμένα ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ. [Heb. 5:14 TELEIWN DE ESTIN hH STEREA TROFH, TWN DIA THN hEXIN TA AISQHTHRIA GEGUMNASMENA ECONTWN PROS DIAKRISIN KALOU TE KAI KAKOU.]
The upshot seems to me to be that hEXIS means a condition achieved by practice. As I recollect Aristotle’s Ethics, virtues are defined by him as hEXEIS, dispositions that have been ingrained by practice so that one responds to stimuli in a manner that is in the interest of one’s health or secure status. Consequently, I am inclined to think that BDAG is right here, although my first inclination was to doubt it. So I think that “state of maturity” in Heb 5:14 is quite right, and in fact, the observation of the author of Hebrews in this instance strikes me as being distinctly in line with the Aristotelian conception of virtue.
Carl W. Conrad Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
I don’t think “exercise/practice” would be the most accurate translation for ἕξις (hEXIS). I’m not sure about the usage of this word in Koine, but in Attic this word usually means a state or a stable disposition. If we are talking about the disposition in the soul, we are talking about the disposition to distinguish (correctly or wrongly) between good and evil, to act and feel in a certain way, etc. Hence virtues and vices are ἕξεις (hEXEIS) because they are stable dispositions in one’s soul to conduct his/her life in a certain way. The word for “exercise/practice” might be ἐνέργεια (ENERGEIA) or πρᾶξις (PRAXIS).
Emil Salim
On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 10:29 AM, Robert Campanarowrote:
Then perhaps we ought to look at the whole consruction again:
Heb. 5:14 τελείων δέ ἐστιν ἡ στερεὰ τροφή, τῶν διὰ τὴν ἕξιν τὰ αἰσθητήρια γεγυμνασμένα ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ.
[Heb. 5:14 TELEIWN DE ESTIN hH STEREA TROFH, TWN DIA THN hEXIN TA AISQHTHRIA GEGUMNASMENA ECONTWN PROS DIAKRISIN KALOU TE KAI KAKOU.]
As can readily be seen, your suggestion is really quite impossible. It is TWN .. ECONTWN that is rather in apposition to TELEIWN. Within the participial phrase enclosed by TWN ECONTWN, TA AISQHTERIA is object of ECONTWN and GEGUMNASMENA is predicate acc. with TA AISQHTERIA: “having their senses trained.” hEXIN is acc. sg. object of the preposition DIA.
No; rather the distinction here is clearly moral, so “good” and “evil” are pretty clearly the best English for KAKOS and KALOS. In Koine KALOS is commonly enough used in the sense of “morally good.”
Carl W. Conrad Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 12:29 PM, Robert Campanaro wrote:
John A. L. Lee, A History of New Testament Lexicography (SBG 8; New York: Peter Lang, 2003), has an excellent chapter on this very word (pp. 279-295). He argues that ἕξις means “condition.”
Stephen Carlson
I haven’t seen the chapter in Lee’s book to which Stephen Carlson refers. But after looking at the question from scratch, here’s my take:
First let me cite the BDAG entry verbatim; for brevity’s sake, with transliteration rather than with Greek font:
hEXIS, EWS, hH (Pre-Socr. et al., IIasos 98, 16 [I BC]; POxy 2190, 16 [I AD]; LXX; in var. mngs. ‘physical/mental state, proficiency, skill’) in the only place in which it is used in our lit. it refers to a state of maturity, maturity (cp. ‘characteristic’ Philo, Leg. All. 1, 10, 3; ‘skill, proficiency’: Polyb. 10, 47, 7; 21, 9, 1; Diod. S. 2, 29, 4; Sir prol 1:11; IIasos s. above; EpArist 121) AISQHTHRIA DIA THN hE. GEGUMNASMENA (solid food is for adults who) because of their mature state (have) their senses trained (to distinguish between good and evil) Hb 5:14 (so JLee, NovT 39, ’97, 151–76, esp. p. 166; MKiley, CBQ 42, ’80, 501–3: ‘characteristic state [as adults]’). With the exception of ASouter, A Pocket Lexicon to the Gk. NT 1916 (s. s.v. ‘condition, state’), lexicons of NT Gk., as well as versions and translations of the NT, gener. render hEX. in our pass. w. ‘exercise, practice’.—DELG s.v. 1 ECW. TW. Sv.
LSJ offers the following item that seems to me most relevant for hEXIS:
(ECW intr.) a being in a certain state, a permanent condition as produced by practice (PRAXIS), diff. from SCESIS (which is alterable)
It might be well to have the text of Heb 5:14 before our eyes also:
Heb. 5:14 τελείων δέ ἐστιν ἡ στερεὰ τροφή, τῶν διὰ τὴν ἕξιν τὰ αἰσθητήρια γεγυμνασμένα ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ. [Heb. 5:14 TELEIWN DE ESTIN hH STEREA TROFH, TWN DIA THN hEXIN TA AISQHTHRIA GEGUMNASMENA ECONTWN PROS DIAKRISIN KALOU TE KAI KAKOU.]
The upshot seems to me to be that hEXIS means a condition achieved by practice. As I recollect Aristotle’s Ethics, virtues are defined by him as hEXEIS, dispositions that have been ingrained by practice so that one responds to stimuli in a manner that is in the interest of one’s health or secure status. Consequently, I am inclined to think that BDAG is right here, although my first inclination was to doubt it. So I think that “state of maturity” in Heb 5:14 is quite right, and in fact, the observation of the author of Hebrews in this instance strikes me as being distinctly in line with the Aristotelian conception of virtue.
Carl W. Conrad Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
I don’t think “exercise/practice” would be the most accurate translation for ἕξις (hEXIS). I’m not sure about the usage of this word in Koine, but in Attic this word usually means a state or a stable disposition. If we are talking about the disposition in the soul, we are talking about the disposition to distinguish (correctly or wrongly) between good and evil, to act and feel in a certain way, etc. Hence virtues and vices are ἕξεις (hEXEIS) because they are stable dispositions in one’s soul to conduct his/her life in a certain way. The word for “exercise/practice” might be ἐνέργεια (ENERGEIA) or πρᾶξις (PRAXIS).
Emil Salim
On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 10:29 AM, Robert Campanarowrote:
Then perhaps we ought to look at the whole consruction again:
Heb. 5:14 τελείων δέ ἐστιν ἡ στερεὰ τροφή, τῶν διὰ τὴν ἕξιν τὰ αἰσθητήρια γεγυμνασμένα ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ.
[Heb. 5:14 TELEIWN DE ESTIN hH STEREA TROFH, TWN DIA THN hEXIN TA AISQHTHRIA GEGUMNASMENA ECONTWN PROS DIAKRISIN KALOU TE KAI KAKOU.]
As can readily be seen, your suggestion is really quite impossible. It is TWN .. ECONTWN that is rather in apposition to TELEIWN. Within the participial phrase enclosed by TWN ECONTWN, TA AISQHTERIA is object of ECONTWN and GEGUMNASMENA is predicate acc. with TA AISQHTERIA: “having their senses trained.” hEXIN is acc. sg. object of the preposition DIA.
No; rather the distinction here is clearly moral, so “good” and “evil” are pretty clearly the best English for KAKOS and KALOS. In Koine KALOS is commonly enough used in the sense of “morally good.”
Carl W. Conrad Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
One man’s treasure is another man’s trash…
One man’s treasure is another man’s trash…