σαρκικός

σαρκικός, ή, όν (σάρξ; Aristot., HA 10, 2, 635a, 11 v.l.; a verse, perh. by Sotades Lyr. [III B.C.] 19, p. 244 Coll.; Maximus Tyr. 11, 10e v.l. [for σάρκινος]; ParJer 6:6 τῷ σαρκικῷ οἴκῳ [cp. Mel., P. 55, 402 Ch. τοῦ σαρκίνου οἴκου, but σαρκικοῦ B]; Just., Tat.—σαρκικός means ‘belonging to the σάρξ’ [opp. πνευματικός], ‘fleshly’; on the other hand, σάρκινος is ‘consisting/composed of flesh’, ‘fleshy’. Our lit., or at least its copyists, for the most part did not observe this distinction in all occurrences of the word. The forms are generally interchanged in the tradition; for exceptions s. MParsons, NTS 34, ’88, 151–55; s. also B-D-F §113, 2; Rob. 158f.)

① pert. to being material or belonging to the physical realm, material, physical, human, fleshly

ⓐ of everyday earthly things, τὰ σαρκικά in ref. to a collection for the poor in Jerusalem Ro 15:27; of material means of support 1 Cor 9:11.

ⓑ of human physical being as such: Polycarp is σαρκικὸς καὶ πνευματικός, i.e. the physical aspect makes it possible to deal with visible phenomena and the spiritual contributes a special dimension to the encounter IPol 2:2. Jesus is called σαρκικός τε καὶ πνευματικός, γεννητὸς καὶ ἀγέννητος IEph 7:2. The Risen Lord συνέφαγεν αὐτοῖς (i.e. the disciples) ὡς σαρκικός he ate with them as an ordinary human being would ISm 3:3. ἵνα ἐκ νεκρῶν ἡμᾶς ἐγείρῃ σαρκικούς that (Jesus Christ) might raise us mere humans from the dead AcPlCor 2:6.—Sim. ἀγάπη σαρκική τε καὶ πνευματική ISm 13:2. ἕνωσις IMg 13:2. ἐπιμέλεια IPol 1:2. In all these pass. Ignatius expresses his understanding of a human being as consisting of two major parts: material body and inward endowment of spirit. Thus Ignatius’s Christians function in two realms. This perspective is different (exc. for the reminiscence IEph 8:2 [s. 2]) from the qualitative judgments expressed in pass. in 2 in which ς. and πνευματικός are in opposition.

② pert. to being human at a disappointing level of behavior or characteristics, (merely) human. Old Testament perspectives respecting the fragility of bodily existence are assumed in our lit., but with a heightening of contrast between the physical and spiritual state or condition and with focus on the physical as being quite mediocre, transitory, or sinful earthly, mediocre, merely human, worldly (Anth. Pal. 1, 107; Iren. 1, 6, 3 [Harv. I 56, 2]; Orig., C. Cels. 3, 42, 11; Hippol., Ref. 5, 8, 18; Did., Gen. 62, 3): (ἄνθρωποι) ς. 1 Cor 3:4 v.l.; ὅπλα 2 Cor 10:4. σοφία 1:12. αἱ σαρκικαὶ ἐπιθυμίαι 1 Pt 2:11; αἱ σαρκικαὶ καὶ σωματικαὶ ἐπιθυμίαι D 1:4. Of immature Christians σαρκικοί ἐστε 1 Cor 3:3ab. In what appears to be a reminiscence of 2 Cor 2:14–3:3 (s. also Ro 8:5), of dissidents or schismatics in contrast to orthodox believers οἱ σαρκικοὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ πράσσειν οὐ δύνανται, οὐδὲ οἱ πνευματικοὶ τὰ σαρκικά IEph 8:2.—In addition, σαρκικός is found as v.l. (σάρκινος is in the text, as Maximus Tyr. 11, 10f; Philo, Sacr. Abel. 63) in Ro 7:14; 1 Cor 3:1; Hb 7:16; in all three places the v.l. is the rdg. of the t.r.—S. lit. s.v. σάρξ. DELG s.v. σάρξ. M-M. TW. Spicq.