Method to find an answer

[Tom Castle]

Hey everyone. I'm looking for some guidance in using Accordance to substantiate or refute a specific statement.

 

Here is the statement: "The greek word(s) translated 'swaddling clothes' is the same greek word(s) used when its translated as 'death clothes'." The person that said this was making an interesting point that Jesus was born to die and this was a powerful symbolic statement that he was wrapped in death at His birth.

 

Now, how would you go about using Accordance to research this.. I want to either substantiate or refute the statement.

 

I look forward to reading the various methods that I'm sure I'll be presented with.

[Lorinda H. M. Hoover]

Interesting question. I was just working with the word the other day preparing my Christmas sermon.

 

Here's what I did:

 

-clicked on the ἐσπαργάνωσεν in Luke 2:7

-clicked on the Greek text icon in the Resource pallette to search the GNT-T, to see where it is used in the NT.

-changed to text setting of this tab to LXX1 and ran this search again

 

Because of an online article I read mentioned and OT verse that didn't show up in this search, I also decided to search by root.

So I changed the search parameters to +σπαργω this pulls up an additional LXX1 hit, but does not change the NT hits.

 

If you run the searches yourself, you will see that thehits do not substantiate the statement you quoted. Whether they are enough to refute it or not is another question.

 

 

If one owned other Greek texts in Accordance, (Pseudepigrapha, Philo, etc.) you could extend the search to other Greek literature.

 

 

I don't have BDAG in Accordance, but that's the next place I search for this term, since it covers both the NT and early Christian literature. You could also amplify to other Greek resources (Thayers, Louw & Nida, UBS Greek, etc.). None of the ones I checked made any reference to "death clothes."

 

Lorinda

[Tom Castle]

Thanks Lorinda. I was hoping that I was missing something but I couldn't find any mention of this anywhere. I cannot even find anything historically that would support this. I would love to hear from anyone else who'd like to chime in on this.

[Charles Stock]

Hey everyone. I'm looking for some guidance in using Accordance to substantiate or refute a specific statement.

 

Here is the statement: "The greek word(s) translated 'swaddling clothes' is the same greek word(s) used when its translated as 'death clothes'." The person that said this was making an interesting point that Jesus was born to die and this was a powerful symbolic statement that he was wrapped in death at His birth.

 

Now, how would you go about using Accordance to research this.. I want to either substantiate or refute the statement.

 

I look forward to reading the various methods that I'm sure I'll be presented with.

 

A simple place to start would be with checking the text and doing some simple word studies. If you have GNT-T, you can simply parse the verse, (Luke 2:12)check the verb with any lexicons that you have, run a simple word search on σπαργανόω, etc. Below is one sample. You will find that the word is used only 2X in the Greek New Testament. I would look at as many commentaries or historical source resources that may pertain to the cloths. In my search, I found comments on the practice of wrapping babies, some good devotional insights into the humility involved, etc. but nothing pointing to the grave cloths. Next, I would check the burial texts. Matt 27.59 is a good one to check, connecting with Joseph of Arimithea. You might also compare with Lazarus and his burial cloths. Nothing similar there. I would also check any ancient commentaries you may have to see if this was an early understanding of the fathers. My suspicion, after spending some time on this is that someone had a devotional insight, which, through repetition took on the authority of a "source." It would seem that you could refute the statement for lack of linguistic connection as well as no historical confirmation of the view expressed.

 

(this post was delayed by grandchildren and Christmas stuff!

 

Louw & Nida

49.6 σπαργανόω: to wrap a child in swaddling clothes (long strips of cloth)

[Tom Castle]

Hello Charles,

Thanks for taking the time to post. I did find that the word was only used twice in the New Testament and only twice in the OT (LXX1).

 

I am glad that I wasn't missing something. I believe this would have been quite a thought had it been scripturally or even historically founded.