Article February 13, 1937 Issue

Bible Notes

"Let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ" (Phil. 1:27)—The phrase "let your conversation be" is represented by the single Greek word "politeuesthe," which, coming from the root "polis," meaning "city," means literally "live the life of a citizen," "fulfil corporate duties" (cf. Souter: Greek Lexicon, p. 209), though sometimes it appears to have been used in a less restricted sense to mean "conduct yourself" or simply "live." Consequently, Moffatt renders: "Do lead a life that is worthy of the gospel of Christ;" Weymouth (5th Edition): "Let the lives you live be worthy of the gospel of Christ;" and Goodspeed has: "Show yourselves citizens worthy of the good news of the Christ."

"Bowels and mercies" (Phil, 2:1)—Among the classical Greek writers, "the bowels (splagchna) were regarded as the seat of the more violent emotions, such as anger and love; but by the Hebrews, as the seat of the tenderer affections, especially kindness, benevolence, compassion" (Thayer: Greek Lexicon). The term "oiktirmoi," here rendered "mercies," is practically a synonym for "splagchna" and came to mean "compassion, pity, mercy" (ibid., p. 442). Goodspeed renders: "affection and sympathy"; Moffatt: "affectionate tenderness"; and Weymouth: "tender-heartedness and compassion." The early translator, Tyndale, had: "compassion and mercy."

"Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof" (Job 28:15)—In the Old Testament period it seems to have been the custom to weigh money rather than to count it (cf. Davidson: Job, p. 197); just as in Genesis 23:16, when the patriarch Abraham was negotiating for the purchase of the cave of Machpelah and the ground surrounding it, he is said to have "weighed to Ephron the silver."

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