Wren Bouwman
Enneagram 4w3 | Ravenclaw | INFx I am a student in Linguistics and Literature in the Midwest United States. I was raised in the evangelical church and went through a long process of deconstruction, along with my spouse, after we found ourselves in a complementarian house church. The aim of this blog was originally to use word studies and context analysis to talk about some of the more controversial verses in the Bible. In the coming months, I hope to not only provide weekly word studies but also to create a video series about my own deconstruction process and how understanding language helped me reconstruct my faith. Check out my other christo-feminist writing at the cbeinternational.org: |
“Don’t quarrel over words,” I am reminded when I share a word study. “Don’t quarrel over words,” those older than me advise when I explain that “submission” is reciprocal or “homosexuality” is a complex word to unpack. When some people read Paul’s second letter to Timothy, they hold this verse like a weapon against anyone who studies biblical interpretation. It’s evidence, they say, that the Bible is literal and we should not dig too deep.
The issue with this sentiment is that the phrase λογομαχέω (logomacheó) is a complex idea. The word comes from λόγος (logos) and μάχομαι (machomai). λόγος (logos) is a deep concept in the Greek language; it is more than just phonemes and morphemes and parts of speech. λόγος (logos) is considered the idea behind the word. The statement or reasoning the word represents.
It’s useless to dwell on λόγος (logos) without the second half of the word. μάχομαι (machomai) seems to be the focus of the section. The root word means “to fight,” a violent word that threads through the following verses and Paul details the destruction that follows a fight. That fight is juxtaposed with diligence and care and hard work.
Prior to this, Paul affirms his gospel and why it is worth defending. He reminds Timothy of what the gospel of Jesus is and why it matters. He urges Timothy to remind the church of Jesus and his grace and not to debate with each other about it. Instead, he says, commit to the actions of the gospel and the gospel with confidence.
Quarreling over words, then, is a specific call to a church that was distorting the gospel, something that holds true throughout scripture. Paul was not scolding the church at Ephesus for getting out their Greek dictionaries, he was scolding the church for losing sight of the gospel that holds the church together.
Of course, pointing this out is just continuing to quarrel over words.
This blog is an effort to take time to wrestle with difficult concepts in the Bible while never losing sight of the gospel of Jesus, who was born and lived and loved and died and rose again so that everyone could feel the embrace of God.
The issue with this sentiment is that the phrase λογομαχέω (logomacheó) is a complex idea. The word comes from λόγος (logos) and μάχομαι (machomai). λόγος (logos) is a deep concept in the Greek language; it is more than just phonemes and morphemes and parts of speech. λόγος (logos) is considered the idea behind the word. The statement or reasoning the word represents.
It’s useless to dwell on λόγος (logos) without the second half of the word. μάχομαι (machomai) seems to be the focus of the section. The root word means “to fight,” a violent word that threads through the following verses and Paul details the destruction that follows a fight. That fight is juxtaposed with diligence and care and hard work.
Prior to this, Paul affirms his gospel and why it is worth defending. He reminds Timothy of what the gospel of Jesus is and why it matters. He urges Timothy to remind the church of Jesus and his grace and not to debate with each other about it. Instead, he says, commit to the actions of the gospel and the gospel with confidence.
Quarreling over words, then, is a specific call to a church that was distorting the gospel, something that holds true throughout scripture. Paul was not scolding the church at Ephesus for getting out their Greek dictionaries, he was scolding the church for losing sight of the gospel that holds the church together.
Of course, pointing this out is just continuing to quarrel over words.
This blog is an effort to take time to wrestle with difficult concepts in the Bible while never losing sight of the gospel of Jesus, who was born and lived and loved and died and rose again so that everyone could feel the embrace of God.