στοιχεῖον: Difference between revisions

|txtha=στοιχειου, τό (from [[στοῖχος]] a [[row]], [[rank]], [[series]]; [[hence]], [[properly]], [[that]] [[which]] belongs to [[any]] [[στοῖχος]], [[that]] of [[which]] a [[στοῖχος]] is [[composed]]; [[hence]]), "[[any]] [[first]] [[thing]], from [[which]] the others belonging to [[some]] [[series]] or [[composite]] [[whole]] [[take]] [[their]] [[rise]]; an [[element]], [[first]] [[principle]]". The [[word]] denotes [[specifically]]:<br /><b class="num">1.</b> the letters of the [[alphabet]] as the elements of [[speech]], [[not]] [[however]] the written characters ([[which]] are called γράμματα), [[but]] the [[spoken]] sounds: [[στοιχεῖον]] φωνῆς [[φωνή]] [[ἀσύνθετος]], [[Plato]] [[definition]], p. 414e.; τό ῥω τό [[στοιχεῖον]], id. Crat., p. 426d.; [[στοιχεῖον]] ἐστι [[φωνή]] ἀδιαιρετος, οὐ [[πᾶσα]] δέ, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἧς πεφυκε συνετή γίγνεσθαι [[φωνή]], [[Aristotle]], [[poet]]. 20, p. 1456{b}, 22.<br /><b class="num">2.</b> the elements from [[which]] [[all]] things [[have]] [[come]], the [[material]] causes of the [[universe]] (ἐστι δέ [[στοιχεῖον]], ἐξ οὗ πρώτου γίνεται τά γινόμενα καί εἰς ὁ ἔσχατον ἀναλύεται ... τό [[πῦρ]], τό [[ὕδωρ]], ὁ [[ἀήρ]], ἡ γῆ, ([[Diogenes]] Laërtius [[Zeno]] 137); so [[very]] [[often]] from [[Plato]] down, as in Tim., p. 48b.; in the Scriptures: the [[heavenly]] bodies, [[either]] as parts of the heavens, or (as others [[think]]) [[because]] in [[them]] the elements of [[man]]'s [[life]] and [[destiny]] were supposed to [[reside]]; so in the earlier ecclesiastical writings: Ep. ad Diogn. 7,2 [ET]; Justin Martyr, dialog contra Trypho, 23; τά [[Οὐρανία]] στοιχεῖα, id. Apology 2,5; στοιχεῖα Θεοῦ, created by God, Theophilus Ant. ad Autol. 1,4; cf. Hilgenfeld, Galaterbrief, pp. 66-77. Hence, [[some]] interpreters [[infelicitously]] [[understand]] Paul's [[phrase]] τά στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, the elements, rudiments, [[primary]] and [[fundamental]] principles (cf. [[our]] '[[alphabet]]' or 'a b c') of [[any]] [[art]], [[science]], or [[discipline]]; e. g. of [[mathematics]], as in the [[title]] of Euclid's [[well-known]] [[work]]; στοιχεῖα [[πρῶτα]] καί μέγιστα [[χρήστης]] πολιτείας, Isocrates, p. 18a.; τῆς ἀρετῆς, [[Plutarch]], de puer. educ. 16,2; [[many]] examples are given in Passow, [[under]] the [[word]], 4, ii., p. 1550b; (cf. Liddell and Scott, [[under]] the [[word]], II:3,4). In the N. T. we [[have]] τά στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογίων τοῦ Θεοῦ ([[see]] [[ἀρχή]], 1b., p. 76{b} [[bottom]]), νήπιοι, τά στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου, the rudiments [[with]] [[which]] [[mankind]] [[like]] νήπιοι were indoctrinated [[before]] the [[time]] of Christ, i. e. the elements of religions [[training]], or the [[ceremonial]] precepts [[common]] [[alike]] to the [[worship]] of Jews and of Gentiles, δεδουλωμένοι [[ὑπό]] τά στοιχεῖα); [[specifically]], the [[ceremonial]] requirements [[especially]] of Jewish [[tradition]], [[minutely]] [[set]] [[forth]] by theosophists and false teachers, and [[fortified]] by [[specious]] [[argument]], τά στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου is [[fully]] discussed by Schneckenburger in the Theolog. Jahrbücher for 1848, Part iv., p. 445ff; Neander in the Deutsche Zeitschrift f. Christl. Wissensehaft for 1850, p. 205ff; Kienlen in Reuss u. Cunitz's Beiträge zu d. theolog. Wissenschaften, vol. ii., p. 133ff; E. Schaubach, Comment. [[qua]] exponitur quid στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου in N. T. sibi velint. (Meining. 1862).