What is the "right hand" of fellowship? (Gal 2:9)

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gryan
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What is the "right hand" of fellowship? (Gal 2:9)

Post by gryan »

Re: The right hand of fellowship

Galatians 2
.. ἰδόντες [seeing] that I have been entrusted with the gospel… and γνόντες [knowing] the grace having been given to me, James [son of Alphaeus] and Cephas [Peter] and John [son of Zebedee], the ones recognized to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand (δεξιὰς ἔδωκαν) of fellowship, in order that we go to the Gentiles; but, they to the circumcision.

A wikipedia article on The Right Hand of Fellowship, well researched with respect to Gal 2:9, adds this:

"Predating New Testament usage, Plato uses the phrase in his dialogue The Republic, Book V [468], suggesting it as something to be offered to "the hero who has distinguished himself".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_Han ... ite_note-3

Here is the Plato quotation:

The Republic, Book V [468b]
...as they please?” “Quite so.” “And don't you agree that the one who wins the prize of valor and distinguishes himself shall first be crowned by his fellows in the campaign, by the lads and boys each in turn?”
“I do.”
ἔμοιγε.
“And be greeted with the right hand?” “That, too.”
τί δέ; δεξιωθῆναι; καὶ τοῦτο.
“But I presume you wouldn't go as far as this?” “What?”
“That he should kiss and be kissed by everyone(see footnote 1 below)?”
“By all means,” he said, “and I add to the law the provision that during that

1 The deplorable facetiousness of the following recalls the vulgarity of Xenophon's guard-house conversations. It is almost the only passage in Plato that one would wish to blot. Helvetius, otherwise anything but a Platonist, characteristically adopts it, Lange, History of Materialism, ii. p. 86.
https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/te ... ion%3D468b

------------

As in Plato, so also in Galatians, a single word, the adj. "right" δεξιός/dexios gets translated "right hand."

But rather than a handshake, wouldn't it make more sense in the New Testament as a place at the table?

Mark 10
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”

36“What do you want Me to do for you?” He inquired.

37They answered, “Grant that one of us may sit at Your right hand (δεξιῶν) and the other at Your left in Your glory.”

I wonder if, in Galatians, the "right" meant a place at the table to the right of the recognized pillars.
Last edited by gryan on Sun Jul 17, 2022 2:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
gryan
Posts: 1120
Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:11 am

Re: What is the right hand of fellowship?

Post by gryan »

Estler points out a parallel usage of the precise expression "give right hands" in 1 and 2 Maccabees eleven times.

eg. 1 Macc. 6:58-59, NRSV
"Now then let us come to terms [lit. "give right"] with these people (νῦν οὖν δῶμεν δεξιὰς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις), and make peace with them and with all their nation. Let us agree to let them live by their laws as they did before; for it was on account of their laws that we abolished that they became angry and did all these things."

Estler observes that in Macc. it is "a person who is in a superior position, usually in a military context, gives the right hand to people who are virtually suppliants, who 'take it', as a way of bringing peace to a conflict. It is not a gesture made between equals, as claimed by Betz" (Philip Estler, Galatians, 1998, p 133)

I agree that James and Cephas and John are not equals with Paul. They are in a superior position, and I think Paul respects that. However, this is not a military situation. Also, Paul says they saw and understood his call. So I see them offering authentic, albeit condescending peace fellowship.
gryan
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Re: What is the "right hand" of fellowship? (Gal 2:9)

Post by gryan »

Josephas uses a phrase translated "and gave him his right hand" in Ant. 18.9.3 here:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... ection%3D3

As yet, I don't have the Greek on that phrase.
gryan
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Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2018 4:11 am

Re: What is the "right hand" of fellowship? (Gal 2:9)

Post by gryan »

gryan wrote: Thu Jul 21, 2022 8:00 am Josephas uses a phrase translated "and gave him his right hand" in Ant. 18.9.3 here:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/tex ... ection%3D3

As yet, I don't have the Greek on that phrase.
Here is the Greek:

[328] ἐπεὶ δὲ πυνθάνεται αὐτὸν δείσαντα ἐν τῷ ἕλει ὑπομένειν, ὁ δὲ τούς τε πατρῴους θεοὺς ἐπώμνυτο μηδὲν κακὸν δράσειν αὐτοὺς πίστει τῇ αὐτοῦ προσκεχωρηκότας, καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν ἐδίδου, ὅπερ μέγιστον παρὰ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐκείνῃ βαρβάροις παράδειγμα τοῦ θαρσεῖν γίνεται τοῖς ὁμιλοῦσιν:
http://www.biblical.ie/page.php?fl=jose ... ies/AJGk18

Lit: "gave the right"

With a superior giving the right, to the inferior party, this is the same language on social context Esler has identified in Macc.
gryan
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Re: What is the "right hand" of fellowship? (Gal 2:9)

Post by gryan »

In Xenophon, Anab. Book 1, Section 6, Verse 6, there is a phrase translated to English as follows:
https://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/History/ ... book_1.htm

"...and I received and gave the hand-clasp of friendship. Since that," he said, "Orontas, have I done you any wrong?" [1.6.7]

In Greek:
καὶ δεξιὰν ἔλαβον καὶ ἔδωκα (lit. "I received and gave the right")
μετὰ ταῦτα,” ἔφη, “Ὀρόντα, ἔστιν ὅ τι σε ἠδίκησα;”

https://geoffreysteadman.files.wordpres ... uly18w.pdf
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