Nielsen’s Nook

Translation

2 After these things were said by the herald, the entire crowd, consisting [a] of Gentiles and even Jews residing in Smyrna, with uncontrollable anger and a great voice, cried out, [b] “This is the teacher of Asia! The father of Christians! The destroyer of our gods! The one who teaches so many not to offer sacrifices and fall down in worship!” [c]

While saying the things, they were crying out and asking Philipp, the ruler of Asia, [d] that he might set a lion loose upon Polycarp. However, he replied that it would not be lawful for him, since he had already completed [e] the animal hunts. [f]

[a] We are taking the genitive phrase ἐθνῶν τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων τῶν τὴν Σμύρναν κατοικούντων to be in the domain of a genitive of material or content or perhaps a genitive of source. Consequently, the translated phrase is set off by the word consisting (BAGD, 91-92, 109 respectively).

[b] ἐπεβόα is the same word used in §3.2 of the crowd’s response to the fearless way Germanikos had died. They had cried out for the death of Christians (i.e., atheists) and specifically that St. Polycarp be sought out.

[c] προσκυνεῖν is generically translated as worship. However, it connotes the prostration of a person in the worship of deity (BAGD, 716). For example, consider 1 Corinthians 14:25 (NA27) τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ φανερὰ γίνεται, καὶ οὕτως πεσὼν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον προσκυνήσει τῷ θεῷ… The secrets of his heart become exposed and after he falls upon his face, he will (prostrate) worship God… (author’s translation).

[d] From the compound word Ἀσιάπχην we have translated ruler of Asia.

[e] Alternately, πεπληρώκει might be translated as fulfilled.

[f] τὰ κυνηγέσια These animal hunts had connection with pagan festival days and were instituted by certain political officials such as in Smyrna by Philipp the Asiarch (BAGD, 457). Whatever the cultural intricacies of Philipp’s reply, he is divesting himself of the responsibility of loosing the lion.