Bible Lexicons

For ἐ. = ";take possession of,"; as in Joshua 19:51 ἐπορεύθησαν ἐμβατεῦσαι τὴν γῆν, cf. a will of iii/B.C., P Eleph 2.14, where in the event of their parents leaving debts, right is reserved to the sons not to ";enter on"; the inheritance—ἐξέστω τοῖς υἱοῖς μὴ ἐμβατεύειν, ἐὰμ μὴ βούλωνται. See also BGU IV. 1167.64 (B.C. 12) ἐ ̣ξ ̣ε ̣σ ̣τ ̣ω. . . ἐ ̣μ ̣β ̣α ̣δ ̣ε ̣υ ̣ε ̣ι ̣ν ̣ εἰς τὰς τρεῖς [ἀρού (ρας), P Oxy VIII. 1118.7 (i/ii A.D.) ὅπ ]ως. . . γεινώσκωσι ἐμβαδεύσον [τά μ ]ε εἰς τὰ ὑπ [ο ]τεθειμένα, ";that they may know that I shall enter on the mortgaged property"; (Ed.), BGU I. 101.16 (A.D. 114–5) μὴ ἐξεῖναι δὲ μοὶ λυτρῶσαι μηδὲ ἐνβαδεύειν αν ̣ . . υ. . . μ. . . The verb and the corresponding noun ἐμβαδεία are also used technically of a creditor’s entry into possession of property, e.g. P Lond 1164(d).8, .11 (A.D. 212) (= III. p. 159) τὰ ἕξης νόμιμα πάντα ἐτελείωσεν μεχρὶ ἐμβαδείας. . .. ἀνακομιδῆς τοῦ ἐμβατ ̣ε ̣υθέντος τρίτου μέρους : see also Modica Introduzione, p. 286. The idea of forcible entry (1 Maccabees 12:25 al.) is well brought out in P Par 14.19 (ii/B.C.) οἱ ἐγκαλούμενοι δ᾽ ἐμβατεύσαντες εἰς τὴν σημαινομένην οἰκίαν καὶ περιοικοδομήσαντες ἑαυτοῖς οἰκητήρια ἐνοικοῦσιν βιαίως, P Lond 401.19 (B.C. 116–111) (= II. p. 14) βιαιότερον ἐμβατ [εύ ]σ [α ]ς εἰς τὸ δη [λούμενο ]ν ἔδα ̣φος τοῦ ἀμπελ [ῶ ]νος. More significant however than any of the above citations for the meaning of the verb in its only occurrence in the NT (Colossians 2:18) is its use in the mystery religions to denote the climax of initiation, when the mystês ";sets foot on"; the entrance to the new life which he is now to share with the god. The point has been fully examined by Ramsay Teaching of Paul, p. 287 ff., where reference is made to inscrr. from Klaros, according to which the inquirer, after being initiated, ἐνεβάτευσεν, ";set foot on—,"; and performed the entire series of rites. From this, according to Ramsay, it would appear that in Col l.c. ἐμβατεύων is to be taken as a quoted word, containing a sarcastic reference to the man of the mysteries with his false worship and fleshly mind. ";Let no one cozen you of the prize of your life-race, finding satisfaction in self-humiliation and worshipping of angels, ‘taking his stand on’ what he has seen (in the Mysteries), vainly puffed up by his unspiritual mind, and not keeping firm hold on [Christ] the Head."; It will be further noted that this interpretation has the advantage of rendering unnecessary the conjectural emendations of the text proposed by Bishop Lightfoot and Dr. C. Taylor : see also Field Notes, p. 197 f. On the form of the word in which δ and τ are freely interchanged, see Mayser Gr. p. 176, and for the technical use of τὸ ἐμβαδικόν as ";the tax paid by tenants to the owners of the land"; see Wilcken Ostr i. p. 190 f. See also Moulton Gr. ii. § 118(b).