Bible Lexicons

The verb is common, and its compounds ἀπο -, κατα - and εἰσ - can be quoted; but there seems little that promises decisive help for the difficult Logion of Matthew 11:12 = Luke 16:16. That in the former βιάζεται can be passive, as all the ancient versions assume, may be illustrated by such evidence as P Oxy II. 294.16 (A.D. 22) ἐγὼ δὲ βιάζομαι ὑπὸ φίλω [ν . Cf. βιάζομαι τάδε in Sophocles (Ant. 66), ";I am forced to it."; In the same direction tend the passages quotable for a transitive use of the middle. So P Giss I. 19.13 (ii/A.D.), if rightly supplemented, ἄ [γ ]ευστος ἐκοιμώμην [ἕως ὁ π ]α ̣τήρ μου εἰσελθὼν ἐβιάσατό [με , ";made me take food";; P Amh II. 35.17 (B.C. 132) βιασάμενος αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς ἅλω , ";compelled them to go to the threshing-floor"; (Edd.), P Lond 1171 verso (c).9 (A.D. 42) βεβιασμένος τινά , P Magd 27.4 (B.C. 218) βιάζεταί με πλίνθον προσ [ά ]γων καὶ θεμέλιον σκάπτων ὥστε οἰκοδομεῖν . The middle can however be used absolutely, = come forward violently or enter by force. Deissmann (BS, p. 258) supports this by Syll 633.8 (imperial period), where in the epigraphic regulations for the sanctuary of Men Tyrannus it is laid down—ἐὰν δέ τις βιάσηται , ἀπρόσδεκτος ἡ θυσία παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ . It must be admitted that Deissmann’s second translation above is as preferable for this inscr. as the first is for Mt l. c. if the verb must be middle : one who supports either of these renderings would still have to illustrate the application of the verb to something abstract or impersonal. There are many other citations available for the absolute use. Putting first those where no εἰς follows, we have Syll 418.24 (A.D. 238) ἐπεὶ δὲ κατὰ καιροὺς εἰς ὕβριν (?) προχωρεῖν τινὲς καὶ βιάζεσθαι (= use violence) ἤρξαντο , ib. 893.4 (ii/A.D.) εἴ τις παρὰ τὴν βούλησιν Πυθίδος βιασάμενος (= by force) ἀνοίξῃ τὴν καμἁραν , JHS xxxiv. p. 1 ff. (inscrr. from Lycia), no. 43.5 ὁ βιασάμενος of one who has forcibly entered a tomb (cf. 45.6 εἰ δέ τις ἐκβιάσηται ). (From literature may be added Demosthenes Callicl. 17 (p. 1276) κἂν βιάσηταί ποτε , ἀποφράττειν ἅπαντες καὶ παροικοδομεῖν εἰώθαμεν , ";when it [the flood water] forces its way.";) So in the papyri P Magd 1.17 (B.C. 221) περὶ δὲ τοῦ βεβιασμένους [αὐ ]τ ̣οὺς κατεσπαρκέναι , ";quant à la contrainte imposée par eux pour les semailles"; (Edd.), P Tebt I. 6.31 (B.C. 140–39) τινὰς δὲ καὶ βιαζομέν [ου ]ς , ";some who even take forcible possession"; (Edd.), P Flor III. 382.54 (A.D. 222–3) ἐπὶ οὖν ὁ πραγματικὸς ἐπὶ τῶν τόπων εἰσχυ ̣ει βιάσ ̣ασθαι , and PSI II. 120.50 (? iv/A.D.) εὐμετάβολος γὰρ ὁ θεός . πεῖσαι ζήτει , μὴ βιάσασθαι · ὁ μὲν γὰρ βιασάμενος ἐχθρός , ὁ δὲ πείσας σοφός . This last, however, implies an object. D. S. Sharp, Epictetus and the NT, p. 67, cites a good parallel from Epict. iv. 7. 20 f. : ἀποκλεισμὸς ἐμοὶ οὐ γίνεται , ἀλλὰ τοῖς βιαζομένοις . διὰ τί οὖν οὐ βιάζομαι ; ";those who (try to) force their way in,"; as he rightly renders. This meaning of forcible entry is more precisely expressed with εἰς , or by the compound, as is seen from Grimm’s illustrations of Lk l. c., and by P Tor I. 1x. 2 (B.C. 116) (= Chrest. II. p. 39) εἴπαμεν τῶι μὲν Ἑρμίαι μὴ εἰσβιάζεσθαι , τοῖς δὲ περὶ τὸν Ὧρον κρατεῖν , P Leid G.18 (i/B.C.) μη [θ ]ενὶ ἐξεῖναι εἰσβιάζεσθαι εἰς αὐτ [ή ]ν , BGU III. 1004 i. 11 (iii/B.C.) ἀφ᾽ οὗ χρόνου εἰσβεβίασται . It is at least clear that Luke’s Logion can be naturally rendered ";everyone is entering it violently."; It may be added that β . in the middle may be followed by an infin. Thus in Arrian’s account of Alexander’s death we find βιάσασθαι ἰδεῖν . Similarly in P Ryl I. 24.11 (Homeric scholia—i/A.D.) ἐ ]ὰν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ [ἀπολιπὼν ] ἅρματα . . . [ἐφ᾽ ἑτέρων ἐπι ]βῆναι βιάζη [ται . With the transitive exx. above will go the acc. et inf. constr. in Michel 1010.33 (i/B.C. init.) βιασαμένων δὲ αὐτὸν τῶν τεχνιτῶν πάλιν τὸ τέταρτον ὑπομεῖναι ἐπιμελητήν .

[Supplemental from 1930 edition]

For the difficult βιάζεται in Matthew 11:12, see Exp T xxviii, p. 101 ff.