Bible Lexicons

The occurrence of the superlative of μέγας only once in the NT, 2 Peter 1:4, where it is elative, is in keeping with its comparatively rare use in Hellenistic Greek. It survives principally as an elative epithet of gods, e.g. P Par 15i. 17 (B.C. 120) τῆς μεγίστης θεᾶς Ἥρας : cf. Syll 342 (= .8 762).23 (c. B.C. 48) νεωστ ]εί τε τοῦ βασιλέως Βυρεβίστα πρώτου καὶ μεγίστου γεγ ]ονότος τῶν ἐπὶ Θρᾴκης βασιλέων, and ib..25 ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ καὶ με (γίσ)[τῃ βασι ]λίᾳ. The adj. is also found in such idiomatic phrases as P Petr II. 13 (19).6 (B.C. 258–253) ὃ ἐμοὶ [μ ]έγιστον ἔσται, ";which will be my main object,"; BGU IV. 1204.8 (B.C. 28) σεατοῦ [ἐπιμέλου ἵν᾽ ὑγιαίνῃς ὃ δὴ μέγιστόν ἐστι, ib. 1208.50 (B.C. 27–6) ὂ ̣ δὴ ̣ μέγιστον ἡγ ̣ο ̣υ ̣ͅμ ̣[αι, al. Cf. also P Tebt I. 33.17 (B.C. 112) (= Selections, p. 31) ἐ ̣π ̣ι ̣, π ̣α ̣ν ̣[των ] τὴν μεγίστην φροντίδα ποιουμένου, ";taking the greatest care on all points,"; P Oxy II. 292.9 (c. A.D. 25) (= Selections, p. 38) χαρίεσαι δέ μοι τὰ μέγιστα, ";you will do me the greatest favour,"; and P Heid 6.27 (iv/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 127) ἐπὶ μέγιστον χρόνον, ";for many years."; On μεγάλη in the sense of μεγίστη in Matthew 22:36 see Field Notes, p. 16 f. The double superlative μεγιστότατος is seen in the horoscope P Lond 130.49 (i/ii A.D.) (= I. p. 134) ὅθεν ὁ μὲν μεγιστότατος ἥλιος καὶ τῶν ὅλων δυνάστης.