Before looking at the usages of ‘skandalon’ and ‘skandalizo’ in detail, it may be helpful to look at two other words that are often found together with them, one suggesting a trap, the other a trip – and once again alliteration comes to our aid: the Greek word for a ‘snare’ is ‘pagis’, and for a stumbling-block ‘proskomma’. Joshua (23.13) provides a good example of ‘pagis’ and ‘proskomma’ combined – in the Septugint version, of course. He warns the Israelites not to cohabit or intermarry with the pagan Canaanite tribes still not subdued in the land of Israel so that they may not become “a snare or a trap” for them, presumably by enticing them into the sin of worshipping false gods. Two other examples of ‘pagis’ on its own will become relevant when we look as ‘skandalon’ itself. King Saul is delighted when he learns (1 Sam 18.21) that David, his hated rival, is in love with his daughter, Michal, because he thinks he can use her as a ‘pagis’, which, here, we might translate as a ‘honey-trap’. David is saved from this trap firstly by his loyalty to Saul, and then by his prowess in battle. The other example is in Proverbs (6.2): “a man’s lips can become a strong ‘snare’ for him, and he is trapped by the lips of his own mouth” – enticed, perhaps, by the temptation to gossip or to deceive. The post-classical ‘verbing’ process also affects ‘pagis’, producing ‘pagideuo’, to ‘snare’. This is found once, in its literal sense, in the LXX (Eccl 9.12), of snaring birds; but, more significantly, in its metaphorical sense, in Matt 22.15, where the Pharisees discuss how they might ‘snare’ Jesus in argument, and so ask him whether it is lawful to pay tribute to Caesar. This is an interesting echo of Aristophanes’s use of ‘skandalethron’ as a ‘verbal trap’. Jesus asks them why they are ‘testing’ him (‘peirazo’), and, as we know, neatly evades the trap. The most significant combination of ‘skandalon’ and ‘proskomma’ comes in Isaiah 8.14-15, as quoted both by Paul (Romans 9.12-13) and Peter (1 Peter 2. 6-9), and we shall look at these verses in more detail later.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
SKANDALON 1 (d) [ii] 'pagis' and 'proskomma'
Before looking at the usages of ‘skandalon’ and ‘skandalizo’ in detail, it may be helpful to look at two other words that are often found together with them, one suggesting a trap, the other a trip – and once again alliteration comes to our aid: the Greek word for a ‘snare’ is ‘pagis’, and for a stumbling-block ‘proskomma’. Joshua (23.13) provides a good example of ‘pagis’ and ‘proskomma’ combined – in the Septugint version, of course. He warns the Israelites not to cohabit or intermarry with the pagan Canaanite tribes still not subdued in the land of Israel so that they may not become “a snare or a trap” for them, presumably by enticing them into the sin of worshipping false gods. Two other examples of ‘pagis’ on its own will become relevant when we look as ‘skandalon’ itself. King Saul is delighted when he learns (1 Sam 18.21) that David, his hated rival, is in love with his daughter, Michal, because he thinks he can use her as a ‘pagis’, which, here, we might translate as a ‘honey-trap’. David is saved from this trap firstly by his loyalty to Saul, and then by his prowess in battle. The other example is in Proverbs (6.2): “a man’s lips can become a strong ‘snare’ for him, and he is trapped by the lips of his own mouth” – enticed, perhaps, by the temptation to gossip or to deceive. The post-classical ‘verbing’ process also affects ‘pagis’, producing ‘pagideuo’, to ‘snare’. This is found once, in its literal sense, in the LXX (Eccl 9.12), of snaring birds; but, more significantly, in its metaphorical sense, in Matt 22.15, where the Pharisees discuss how they might ‘snare’ Jesus in argument, and so ask him whether it is lawful to pay tribute to Caesar. This is an interesting echo of Aristophanes’s use of ‘skandalethron’ as a ‘verbal trap’. Jesus asks them why they are ‘testing’ him (‘peirazo’), and, as we know, neatly evades the trap. The most significant combination of ‘skandalon’ and ‘proskomma’ comes in Isaiah 8.14-15, as quoted both by Paul (Romans 9.12-13) and Peter (1 Peter 2. 6-9), and we shall look at these verses in more detail later.
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