How to understand Aquinas’ use of imaginarius and imaginarias visiones in the office of prophecy.
The English translation of the Latin Imaginarius is typically imaginary, and imaginarius visiones as imaginary visions. However, this is not satisfactory. The use of the English word imaginary may mislead the reader. To many it means a personal fantasy, a child-like hallucination, an imaginary friend, or something that is totally cognatively disassociated. This is not what Aquinas intended.
Latin
A Translation of I Corinthians 13 from the Ambrosiaster Text
An English translation of the commentary of I Corinthians 13 from the Ambrosiaster text.
The Unknown Tongues in the English Bible: Part 2
A technical look at how the phrase unknown tongues entered the English vocabulary.
The Difference Between Language and Tongues
Finding an acceptable solution for the Greek keyword glôssa γλῶσσα and why Christian doctrine of tongues is the best catch-phrase for the subject.
Glôssa is pivotal for the doctrine of tongues. This word is found in Paul’s address to the Corinthians and Luke’s description of the first Pentecost. This noun is further used by later Greek ecclesiasts and authors on the subject.
The challenge is how a contemporary researcher is to translate this word without a modern bias.
Latin and the Subjunctive
Understanding the various uses of the Latin subjunctive and how to properly translate it.
Ambrosiaster on the workers of miracles
The Ambrosiaster text gives a fourth century or later Latin perspective on the workers of miracles as described by St. Paul.
Paul wrote about this function in his First letter to the Corinthians (12:28).
Here is the actual Biblical citation:
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.”(NIV)
The key-text here is the “workers of miracles” which in the Greek text is δυνάμεις and in Ambrosiaster’s text, virtutes.
Translation Tips on the Greek Church Fathers
How students of Biblical Greek can extend their literary toolset to reading and translating the Greek Church Fathers.