Professor John B. Polhill writes that there is "probably no great distinction" between XRONOUS and KAIROUS in Acts 1:6, 7 (John B. Polhill, Acts. Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1992).
On the other hand, "XRONOUS refers to the time that must elapse before the establishment of the Kingdom; KAIROUS to the critical events accompanying its establishment" (F.F. Bruce).
At the present time, my view on the semantics of Acts 1:6, 7 vis-a'-vis KAIROS and XRONOS is a neutral one: Polhill indicates that there might be no semantic distinction between the two Greek terms in 1:6, 7. We can't simply base our conclusions on the particular senses of KAIROS and XRONOS in other Scriptures because those occurrences may fit into another semantic domain or context. Maybe if we apply the text-linguistic principles of considering the text (the linguistic unit), co-text (the words in the sentence or phrase being exegeted and, by extension, any texts that have an influence on the exegesis of the text in question) and the context (social and cultural factors), some light could possibly be shed on this problem.
6 comments:
http://grammar.about.com/od/il/g/kairosterm.htm
Many good points made on the website you provided. I've normally perceived/understood an important distinction to exist between KAIROS and XRONOS, but that may not be the case. I don't think my question greatly affects any theological outcomes, but it's more fodder for study. Compare Mt 24:45.
See also Eph 5:15-16
Acts 1:7 Westcott and Hort / [NA27 variants]
εἶπεν [δὲ] πρὸς αὐτούς Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστὶν γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ
Acts 1:7 RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Εἴπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς, Οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐστιν γνῶναι χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς οὓς ὁ πατὴρ ἔθετο ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ.
Acts 1:7
“...He said to them, it does not belong to you to know times, nor seasons, of which, He, the Father, has reserved [Or: “set” ”appointed” “fixed” “kept fixed”] exclusively [Or: “solely”] within the limits [Or: “limitations” “bounds”] of His own unique and distinctly personal authority...”
Matthew 24:36 Westcott and Hort / [NA27 variants]
Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ ὥρας οὐδεὶς οἶδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τῶν οὐρανῶν οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατὴρ μόνος.
Matthew 24:36 RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ ὥρας οὐδεὶς ο ἴδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τῶν οὐρανῶν, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ μου μόνος.
Matthew 24:36
“...Now concerning that particular day and hour, not one person has come to know! [Or: “not a single person” “no one” Lit., “he has known”] Not even the angels of the heavens, nor the Son, [Or: “nor the Son either”] only the Father [Or: “except the Father alone” Lit., “if not the Father alone” MSS. Var. “except ( my ) Father alone”]...”
Mark 13:32 Westcott and Hort / [NA27 variants]
Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης ἢ τῆς ὥρας οὐδεὶς οἶδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι ἐν οὐρανῷ οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ.
Mark 13:32 RP Byzantine Majority Text 2005
Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης ἢ ὥρας οὐδεὶς ο ἴδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι οἱ ἐν οὐρανῷ, οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ.
Mark 13:32
“...Now concerning the day, that particular one, or that precise [Or: “the exact” “the definite”] hour - not a single person has come to know it! [Or: “not one person has known it”]. Not even the angels in heaven, [MSS. Var. “the angels, the ones in heaven”] not [Or: “nor”] even the Son, just the Father [Or: “except the Father” Lit., “if not the Father”]...”
Matthew says: τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ ὥρας “that particular day and hour”
Mark adds the definite article to ὥρας, particularizing, or pin-pointing (narrowing it down to) the exact hour, by saying: τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης ἢ τῆς ὥρας "the day, that particular one, or that precise [Or: “the exact” “the definite”] hour"
Jesus generally, at Acts: χρόνους ἢ καιροὺς
Here's another text for consideration although it does not make a contrast between the two Greek nouns in question: μακάριος ὁ ἀναγινώσκων καὶ οἱ ἀκούοντες τοὺς λόγους τῆς προφητείας καὶ τηροῦντες τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ γεγραμμένα, ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς ἐγγύς. (Revelation 1:3 WH-1881)
Post a Comment