τοῖς ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν λαχοῦσιν πίστιν (2Pt.1:1)

Greek Koine and Biblical and Medieval Greek
1

How would somebody who was not trying make this conform with the general ideas of Christianity read this phrase? Specifically the nuance of λαγχάνω?

Does it have the idea of unexpectedness, ie. accidently or by chance that the Modern Greek form λαχαίνω carries? ie. “to those who (in a way equally honouable to the way we did) received by chance a faith” (taking ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν as an adverbial phrase) or “to those who have chanced upon a faith equal in value to us” (taking ἰσότιμον as an adjective)?

Alternatively, does it carry the idea of exclusivity, ie. that somebody got to obtain the faith, in so far as others did not?

Alternatively again, is the sense specialness, ie. that the faith is a calling to a special office?

2

To raise another point after looking at all the English translations of this verse.

Am I missing something obvious here? All the English translations listed here seem to be reading ἰσότιμον as an feminine (common) adjective with πίστιν, and none of them are reading it as an adverb (neuter).

According to my understanding of accidence, the form ἰσότιμον could be either adjective or adverb.

In my reading, the simplest way to take it is an adverb of manner, with the authour politely adulating (if the excessiveness of “adulation” can be taken in a good sense of politeness in a culture where excessively talking others up is received well) about his addressees, by saying that God has given the same honour as was given to them as was given to the group that Peter associates with. Within human communication models it seems that the opening of a letter (or conversation) is a time to employ one or other (positive or negative) polieness strategy to establish an amicable relationship. Talking about the person and saying that their relationship to the faith is the same as the authour’s seems like a plausible direct and positive politeness strategy to counter-balance in some way perhaps, the strong statements that follow (buttering the bread before you toast it is a lot more palatable).

Conversely, reading the Greek in the way that all English translations (the ones that seem to relate closely to the Greek at least) take it - as an adjective - suggests that there are 2 allowable Christian faiths, both of equal value. While I’m generally not fond of harmonisations in Biblical theology, I notice that the authour of Ephesians (the first part of chapter 4) is quite insistent on there being only one faith. If Peter was in fact saying that another faith is equal to the one he and his group holds to, what actually was that faith?

3

ἰσότιμος, ον (s. ἴσος, τιμή; Strabo 15, 3, 20; Dio Chrys. 24 [41], 2; Plut. et al.; OGI 234, 25 [c. 200 B.C.]; 544, 33 [adv.]; PRyl 253; Mitt-Wilck. I/2, 13, 10; Philo; Jos., Ant. 12, 119; Ath. 22, 2) gener. ‘equal in honor/value’, also simply equal, like, of the same kind/value (Aelian, NA 10, 1; Herodian 2, 3, 6; Herm. Wr. 12, 12; Jos., Ant. 12, 3, 1 ‘equally privileged’) ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν πίστιν a faith of the same kind as ours = faith w. the same privilege as ours (i.e. the recipients are not less advantaged than the apostles) 2 Pt 1:1. Cp. SJCh 92, 1–3.—M-M. TW. Spicq.



Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 481). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

As for λαγχάνω, what makes best sense in context?

λαγχάνω 2 aor. ἔλαχον, subj. λάχω, ptc. λαχών; pf. 3 sg. εἴληχεν (Ath., R. 13 p. 63, 27; LMelazzo, Glotta 71, ’93, 30–33), ptc. λελογχώς 3 Macc 6:1 (Hom.+) for its constr. s. B-D-F §171, 2; Rob. 509. Pass. of κληρόω.
① to obtain someth. as a portion, receive, obtain (by lot, or by divine will; Hom.+; IPriene 205, 2; PTebt II, 382, 5; 383, 14) τὶ someth. ἔλαχεν τὸν κλῆρον τῆς διακονίας ταύτης Ac 1:17. πίστιν 2 Pt 1:1.
② to be selected through casting of lots, be appointed/ chosen by lot (Hom. et al.; Pla., Pol. 290e ὁ λαχὼν βασιλεύς; SIG 486, 9; 762, 12 λαχὼν ἱερεύς. Oft. used sim. in ins; Jos., Bell. 3, 390. In the broader sense ‘befall’: ApcMos 15 τὸ λαχὸν αὐτοῦ μέρος ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ.) ἔλαχεν τοῦ θυμιᾶσαι he was chosen by lot to burn incense Lk 1:9 (on the constr. s. B-D-F §400, 3; Rob. 1060; 1 Km 14:47 v.l. Σαοὺλ ἔλαχεν τοῦ βασιλεύειν).
③ to allot a portion or make an assignment by casting lots, cast lots (Isocr. 7, 23; Diod S 4, 63, 3b) περί τινος for someth. (Ps.-Demosth. 21 Hyp. 2 §3.—B-D-F §229, 2; s. Rob. 509) J 19:24. λάχετέ μοι ὧδε, τίς νήσει τὸν χρυσόν cast lots, now, for the one who will weave the gold (for the temple curtain) GJs 10:2, w. some mss. adding καὶ ἔλαχεν τὴν Μαρίαν ἡ ἀληθινὴ πορφύρα and to Mary fell the lot of (weaving) real purple (i.e. high-quality fabric colored with the dye of shellfish rather than cheap imitations made w. vegetable or other dyes).—DELG. M-M. TW. Spicq. Sv.


Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 581). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

4

Here are the references from among BDAG’s list that I could find. All of them seem to be taking about social status.

Used of manners and customs between those of various social ranks.

Used to say that the dead are equal rank, both (former) king and commoners.

Used of comparing the men of one council to those of another council.

Used in the address of a letter, referring to the social rank of various persons.

[119] Ἔτυχον δὲ καὶ τῆς παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων τῆς Ἀσίας τιμῆς, ἐπειδὴ συνεστράτευσαν αὐτοῖς: καὶ γὰρ Σέλευκος ὁ Νικάτωρ ἐν αἷς ἔκτισεν πόλεσιν ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ καὶ τῇ κάτω Συρίᾳ καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ μητροπόλει Ἀντιοχείᾳ πολιτείας αὐτοὺς ἠξίωσεν καὶ τοῖς ἐνοικισθεῖσιν ἰσοτίμους ἀπέφηνεν Μακεδόσιν καὶ Ἕλλησιν, ὡς τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἔτι καὶ νῦν διαμένειν:
[119] THE Jews also obtained honors from the kings of Asia when they became their auxiliaries; for Seleucus Nicator made them citizens in those cities which he built in Asia, and in the lower Syria, and in the metropolis itself, Antioch; and gave them privileges equal [declared that they should be of equal social standing (my rendering)] to those of the Macedonians and Greeks, who were the inhabitants, insomuch that these privileges continue to this very day:

Of people being granted equal status.

Of the equal matching of elephants struggling over mating rites / leadership of the herd, when neither one was better than the other.

The reference to 12.3.1 is the same as the reference to 12.119, in Josephus, so far as I can tell.

5

Look at the LSJ’s reference to Od. 20.281-282, where the idea of λαγχανω is not “obtaining by lot” but “obtaining one’s [in this case equal] portion in a division.” No implication of “unexpectedness” or “chance” is intended, as you can see by the context.

υ279 οἱ δ’ ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέ’ ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,
υ280 μοίρας δασσάμενοι δαίνυντ’ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα·
υ281 πὰρ δ’ ἄρ’ Ὀδυσσῆϊ μοῖραν θέσαν οἳ πονέοντο
υ282 ἴσην, ὡς αὐτοί περ ἐλάγχανον· ὣς γὰρ ἀνώγει

6

The -τιμ- in φιλότιμος also seems to have a large (reciprocal) social relationship dimension. Desiring the honour or respect of others. Doing things that will attract (or are expected in return for) the respect of others.

7

My Homer is 20 years rusty, but perhaps I read that relationship between division, receiving and equality in this way.

The division is described as μοίρας δασσάμενοι. The receiving is described as λαγχάνω is in the subordinate clause ὡς αὐτοί περ ἐλάγχανον:. That receiving is used as a reference for the deliberate act (παρατίθημι for Ulysses) in μοῖραν θέσαν οἳ πονέοντο ἴσην. He was given the equal of what they received as their share of the division.

I’ve only been to spit roast a half a dozen times, but even in that limited experience, portions are not really closely equivalent. The “same” in this case probably means “not in a different way”, rather than “not a different size”.