Difference between revisions of "Boanerges"

<p> <b> BOANERGES. </b> —In &nbsp;Mark 3:17 we read that Christ ‘gave to James and John name(s) Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder’ (καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτοῖς ὄνομα [ <i> v.l. </i> ὀνόματα] Βοανηργές, ὅ ἐστιν υἱοὶ βροντῆς).* [Note: The MSS give: βοανηργεςא AB, etc., βοανεργης D, βοανεργες EF, etc.] The equation <i> [[Boanerges]] </i> = ‘sons of thunder’ presents two difficulties: ( <i> a </i> ) the [[Hebrew]] בִּנַי does not naturally give rise to the two vowels οα; ( <i> b </i> ) no known Hebrew or Aram. [Note: Aramaic.] root <i> rgs </i> or <i> rgsh </i> has the meaning ‘thunder.’ A third difficulty might be added, that the title <i> Boanerges </i> , whatever its meaning, does not accurately correspond to ὀνομα(τα), ‘name(s).† [Note: ὁυουατα is read by א AC, etc., ὀνομα is the reading of BD.] If the [[Evangelist]] be right in saying that the original title meant ‘sons of thunder,’ we must suppose that Βοανη or Βοανε is due to inaccurate transliteration of בִּנִי, or to a conflation of two readings with a single vowel (see Dalm. <i> Gram. </i> 2 [Note: designates the particular edition of the work referred] p. 144). But the difficulty as to ργες = βροντή remains. [[Jerome]] (on &nbsp;Daniel 1:7) thought that <i> Boanerges </i> should be emended into <i> Benereem </i> = בִּנִירֽעִס. In that case the <i> s </i> is a mistake on the part of the Evangelist or his copyists for <i> m </i> . Others prefer to think that the original title was בִּנִירְנַז = ‘sons of wrath,’ or בְּנַירְנַשׁ = ‘sons of tumult,’ and that υἱοὶ βροντῆς is an inaccurate translation on the part of the Evangelist. The [[Syriac]] Version (Sinaiticus) unfortunately gives us no assistance. It transliterates <i> Bĕnai Ragsh </i> or <i> Ragshi </i> , and omits the explanation ὅ ἐστιν υἱοὶ βροντῆς (see Burkitt, <i> Evangelion da-Mepharreshe </i> , i. 181, ii. 280). It is possible, however, that the corruption lies deeper than this. Just as <i> [[Dalmanutha]] </i> (&nbsp;Mark 8:10) is probably a corruption of an [[Aramaic]] proper name (see Burkitt, ii. 249), so <i> Boanerges </i> may be a fusion of two names answering to the ὀνόματα. In that case the Evangelist, misreading or mishearing his Aramaic original, has fused two names into one, and has tried to give a rough translation of the word thus formed. The first name might be בַנּי (Banni), בַנַּי ( <i> Bannai </i> ), or בּ֖נּי ( <i> Bunnai </i> ). [[Curiously]] enough, the [[Babylonian]] [[Talmud]] gives <i> [[Bani]] </i> as the name of one of the disciples of Jesus (Bab. [Note: Babylonian.] <i> Sanh. </i> 43 <i> a </i> ). For the second name we offer no conjecture. See, further, John, James. </p> <p> Literature.— <i> Encyc. Bibl. </i> art. ‘Boanerges’; <i> Expositor </i> , iii. x. [1889] 332 ff. </p> <p> W. C. Allen. </p>

<p> This word is neither Hebrew nor Syriac, and some have thought that the transcribers have not exactly copied it, and that the word was <em> benereen </em> βενερεεν , which expresses the sound of the Hebrew of the phrase, "sons of thunder." Parkhurst judges the word to be the [[Galilean]] pronunciation of the Hebrew בנו רעש expressed in Greek letters. Now, רעש properly signifies a violent trembling or commotion, and may therefore be well rendered by βροντη , <em> thunder, </em> which is a violent commotion in the air; so, <em> vice versa, </em> any violent commotion is figuratively, and not unusually, in all languages, called thunder. When our [[Saviour]] named the sons of Zebedee, Boanerges, he perhaps had an eye to that prophecy of Haggai, "Yet once, and I will shake the heavens and the earth," &nbsp; Haggai 2:6; which is, by the [[Apostle]] to the &nbsp;Hebrews 12:26 , applied to the great alteration made in the economy of the Jews by the publication of the Gospel. The name Boanerges, therefore, given to James and John, imports that they should be eminent instruments in accomplishing the wondrous change, and should, like an earthquake or thunder, mightily bear down all opposition, by their inspired preaching and miraculous powers. That it does not relate to their <em> mode </em> of preaching is certain; for that clearly appears to have been calmly argumentative, and sweetly, persuasive—the very reverse of what is usually called a thundering ministry. </p>

<p> "Sons of thunder." The Aramaic name given to James and John by Jesus. Hebrew beney regesh; Their fiery zeal appears in (&nbsp;Luke 9:54) their desiring the Lord's permission that they should command fire from heaven (like Elias) to consume the [[Samaritans]] who would not receive Him, "because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem." Also in (&nbsp;Mark 9:38) their forbidding one casting out demons in Christ's name, because he followed not with them. Compare also their ambition for the highest place in Christ's kingdom, next Himself (&nbsp;Mark 9:35-41). [[Grace]] subsequently corrected this zeal without knowledge, making James the willing martyr (Acts 12) and John the apostle of gentleness and love. Still the old zeal against perverters of the truth as it is in Jesus appears in &nbsp;2 John 1:10-11; &nbsp;3 John 1:10. </p>

<p> <strong> BOANERGES </strong> (&nbsp; Mark 3:17 ), ‘Sons of Thunder.’ The Master’s appellation of James and John. Jerome takes it as a reference to their fiery eloquence. Others derive it rather from their fiery disposition in early days (cf. &nbsp; Luke 9:52-56 ). It would thus be a playful yet serious sobriquet, constantly reminding them of their besetting sin and warning them to overcome it. </p> <p> David Smith. </p>

<p> '''Boaner'ges.''' A name signifying sons of thunder, given by our Lord, to the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, probably on account of their fiery earnestness. &nbsp;Mark 3:17. See &nbsp;Luke 9:54; &nbsp;Mark 9:38. Compare &nbsp;Matthew 20:20, etc. </p>

<p> '''Boanerges''' (bô'a-ner'jçs), sons of thunder. The name Christ gave to James and John, probably because of their fiery zeal; for proof of which see &nbsp;Luke 9:54; &nbsp;Mark 9:38; comp. &nbsp;Matthew 20:20. </p>

<p> (Βοανεργές , explained by υἱοὶ βροντῆς, sons of thunder, &nbsp;Mark 3:17), a surname given by Christ to James and John, probably on account of their fervid, impetuous spirit (comp. &nbsp;Luke 9:54, and see Olshausen thereon; see also &nbsp;Mark 9:38; comp. &nbsp;Matthew 20:20 sq.). The word boanegyes has greatly perplexed philologists and commentators. It seems agreed that the Greek term does not correctly represent the original Syro- [[Chaldee]] word, although it is disputed what that word was. (See Gurlitt, Ueb. d. Bedeutung d. Benamens βοανεργές , in the Theol. Stud. u. Krit. 1829, 4:715 sq.; Jungendres, Etymon. voc. Nouv., Norimb. 1748.) It is probably for בָּיָּנאּרְגֶוֹ, Boyani 'Regets', a Galilean pronunciation of בְּנֵי רְגִז, Beney'Regaz', " sons of commotion," or of בְּנֵי רֶגֶשׁ, Beney'-Re'gesh, "sons of tumult." (See [[James]]); (See [[John]]). </p>

<p> '''''bō''''' -'''''a''''' -'''''nûr´jēz''''' ( Βοανηργές , <i> '''''Boanērgés''''' </i> ; בּני רגשׁ , <i> '''''benē reghesh''''' </i> , "sons of thunder"): The surname bestowed by Jesus upon James and John, the sons of Zebedee, when they were ordained to the apostleship (&nbsp;Mark 3:17 ). See [[James]] , Son Of Zebedee . It has also been regarded as an equivalent of the "Heavenly Twins," the Sons of [[Zeus]] or Thunder. According to this interpretation, the name Boanerges would represent the [[Dioscuri]] in some form or other of their varied presentation in the cults of the [[Mediterranean]] (compare Professor J. Rendel Harris in <i> The Expositor </i> , series vii, III, 146). </p>

<p> E . Sons of Thunder), applied by Christ to the sons of Zebedee for the vehemence of their zeal. </p>