Possible Origins for Prostatis as “Helper”
Where then did the word ‘helper” originate? One possible origin for “helper” for prostatis is from the “far inferior reading” in F and G.[14] F and G are ninth century manuscripts, penned centuries after the original reading. Horsley reasons that these readings might have originated “presumably in recognition of the discomfort which prostatis caused.”[15]
The Vulgate is another possibility, particularly the word adstitit in the reading “ipsa quoque adstitit multis et mihi ipsi” or “she herself has assisted many, and myself.” Obviously, those who translated the Greek into the Latin of the Vulgate chose an inaccurate rendering of the Greek prostatis (literally “to stand before or stand at the head of”) as adstitit (lit. “to stand near or at one’s side”), thus confusing a leadership role with one of proximity.
Another possible origin for “helper” might have occurred when Walter Bauer’s Greek-German Dictionary of the Writings of the New Testament and Remaining Christian Literature was “translated” into English. In his lexicon, the word “helper” did not appear as a definition for prostatis, but only “Beschützerin” (defender or protector) and “Patronin” (patron).” When his work was translated into the English by William F. Arndt and F. Wilbur Gingrich in the BAG, the word “helper” as a translation for prostatis came into existence. A similar occurrence took place in Gingrich’s Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament: while the word “protector” and “patron” appear as suitable meanings for prostatis, Phoebe can be described only as a “helper,” with the supporting evidence limited to
Rom 16:2.
Another possibility as to why “helper” was chosen in English translation is the outdated information provided in The Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament (1930), which states that “we can supply no instance of the fem. prostatis” as given in
Rom 16:2 “from our sources” as “protectress” or “patroness.”[16] Because this work has not been updated, one must look at other avenues to reconcile the definition of prostatis. However, the consequences of Moulton’s and Miligan’s work has been felt for years, likely giving way to the fallacy that the masculine term prostatēs is not equivalent in meaning to prostatis, despite the fact it can be argued that the feminine form prostatis is “to be equated with the masculine form [prostatēs]” through epigraphical evidence.[17]
Threaded Mode
