Bible Lexicons

The primary sense, ";born in wedlock,"; is overshadowed by derived applications, but it survives in occasional formulae : thus even P Flor III. 294.12 (iv/A.D.) (see p. ix.) has καὶ γνησίων τέκνων σπο [ρᾷ in a marriage contract. In the earliest dated Greek papyrus, P Eleph 1.3 (B.C. 311–10) (= Selections, p. 2), a marriage contract begins λαμβάνει Ἡρακλείδης Δημητρίαν Κώιαν γυναῖκα γνησίαν , ";as his lawful wedded wife"; : cf. PSI I. 64.4 (? i/B.C.) where a woman promises a man to live with him as long as he lives, ὡ ]ς γνησ ̣[ία ] γαμετή , and P Oxy X. 1267.15 (A.D. 209) τοῦ Ζωίλου γνήσιον υἱὸν Ὡρ ̣είωνα , ";Zoïlus’ legitimate son Horion."; In P Amh II. 86.15 (A.D. 78) we have χωρὶς γνησίων δημοσίων , ";apart from the legal public charges"; : cf. P. Oxy VII. 1031.21 (A.D. 228) γνη [σ ]ίοις τελέσμασι , P Lond 1157.4 (? A.D. 197–8) (= III. p. 62) ἐστὶ δὲ ἀριθμήσεως Φαῶφι εἰς Ἀθὺρ γνησ (ίων ), P Strass I. 2.13 (A.D. 217) ἐ ̣κ ̣τὸς τῶν σιτικῶν γνησίων . From this it is an easy transition to the sense of ";suitable,"; ";fitting,"; as in P Giss I. 47.4 (Hadrian) ἐπὶ τῶι κατὰ τὰς [ε ]ὐ ̣χὰς ̣ γνη ̣σία καὶ λείαν ἄξια εὑρῆσθαι and .15 παραζώ [ν ]ιον γὰρ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν γνήσιον οὐχ εὑρέθη . Close to this lies its use for ";genuine"; as an epithet of φίλος or the like, as in Philippians 4:3 : so BGU I. 86.19 (A.D. 155) τὸν γνήσιον αὑτοῦ φίλον . Thus it becomes an epithet of affectionate appreciation : so P Oxy I. 48.12 (A.D. 86) τοῦ μετηλλαχότος αὐτῆς γνησίου ἀδελφοῦ . Cf. 1 Timothy 1:2 Τιμοθέῳ γνησίῳ τέκνῳ ἐν πίστει : in 2 Timothy 1:2 ἀγαπητῷ is substituted for γνησίῳ Cf. the use of the adverb, as in Philippians 2:20, = ";honestly, sincerely"; : so P Lond 130.3 (i/ii A.D.) (= I. p. 133) γ ]νησίως τε περ [ὶ ] τὰ οὐράνια φιλοπονήσαντες , P Tebt II. 326.11 (c. A.D. 266) προ [στ ]ήσεσθαι γνησίως τοῦ παιδίου , ";will honourably protect the child"; (Edd.), BGU I. 248.21 (ii/A.D.) τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀμπέλων ἰδίων γνησίως γενέσθωι . Add from the inscriptions Syll 722.41 (ii/B.C.) φανερὰ ἦι ἁ εὔνοια τοῖς γνησίως καὶ ἐνδόξως τῶν καλλίστων ἐπιταδουμάτων προεστακόσι , Michel 544.28 (B.C. 114) γνησίως στοιχῶν ἐν πᾶσιν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κα [λοκ ]ἀγαθίαι , and for the adj. OGIS 339.7 (Sestos, c. B.C. 120) πρὸ πλείστου θέμενος τὸ πρὸς τὴν πατρίδα γνήσιον καὶ ἐκτενές , which is a good illustration of 2 Corinthians 8:8. Note also Michel 394.48 (middle i/B.C.) γ ]νησ [ί ]αν ἔχοντι πρὸς πάντας φιλοστοργίαν , and Syll 365.13 (A.D. 37) οὐχ ὡς εἰς φίλην μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς εἰς γνησίαν πατρίδα . It seems from the record that Lightfoot rather overdoes the consciousness of the word’s ultimate origin when he paraphrases (on Philippians 2:20) ";i.e. as a birth-right, as an instinct derived from his spiritual parentage."; It is by no means clear that γνήσιος was still felt to be normally the antithesis of νόθος , and most of its usages are wide of this.