The Beasts at Ephesus and the Cult of Artemis

The words crux interpretum are frequently invoked over the question Paul poses to his Corinthian acquaintances in 1 Cor 15:32: εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφεσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος; “If with merely human hopes I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it?” Three principal quest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Harvard theological review Vol. 106; no. 4; pp. 459 - 477
Main Author Frayer-Griggs, Daniel
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, USA Cambridge University Press 01.10.2013
Subjects
Analysis
Bible
Christianity
Contemporary period
Dogmatic theology
Exegesis & hermeneutics
General subjects
History and sciences of religions
Idolatry
Idols and images
Interpreters
Moral theology
Paganism & animism
Paul the Apostle, Saint
Saints
Theology
Verbs
Worship
United States
Egypt
Theology
History of religions
Christianity
Online AccessGet full text
ISSN0017-8160
1475-4517
DOI10.1017/S0017816013000242

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Summary:The words crux interpretum are frequently invoked over the question Paul poses to his Corinthian acquaintances in 1 Cor 15:32: εἰ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐθηριομάχησα ἐν Ἐφεσῳ, τί μοι τὸ ὄφελος; “If with merely human hopes I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what would I have gained by it?” Three principal questions have occupied interpreters of this enigmatic verse. First, does the verb ἐθηριομάχησα imply a literal fight with wild beasts, does it allude figuratively to a hostile conflict with human adversaries, or does it refer hypothetically to a literal event (an unreal conditional)? Second, if the verb is meant figuratively, as nearly all today conclude, whom does Paul characterize as “wild beasts”? Third, what is meant by the phrase κατὰ ἄνθρωπον?
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ISSN:0017-8160
1475-4517
DOI:10.1017/S0017816013000242