- ὕλη
- ὕλη, ης, ἡ (Hom.+)① a dense growth of trees, forest (Hom.+; JosAs 24:16 al., Jos. Ant. 18, 357; 366) Js 3:5. The tendency to use hyperbole in diatribe (cp. the imagery that precedes: ship-tongue) suggests this mng. in preference to② the woody part of a tree, wood, pile of wood, wood used for building, etc. (Hom. et al.; Jos., C. Ap. 1, 110) (cp. Sir 28:10; Ps.-Phoc. 144).③ the stuff out of which a thing is made, material, matter, stuff (Hom. et al.; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 191; Just., A I, 59, 1 al.; Tat. 37, 1; Mel., P. 38, 260; Ath. 19, 3) in our lit. only earthly, perishable, non-divine matter φθαρτὴ ὕλη (as Philo, Post. Cai. 165; Jos., Bell. 3, 372), fr. which idols are made (Maximus Tyr. 2, 3a; Just., A I, 9, 2) PtK 2 p. 14, 15; Dg 2:3. Humans, too, are made of such material 1 Cl 38:3 (Philo, Leg. All. 1, 83 ὕ. σωματική; Tat. 6, 2 σαρκική. Cp. Epict. 3, 7, 25 ἀνθρώπου ἡ ὕλη = τὰ σαρκίδια). W. connotation of that which is sinful, hostile to God (as in Philo and Gnostic lit.; Tat. 13, 2; 21, 4; Ath. 16, 3; 24, 4) IRo 6:2.—B. 46. DELG. M-M. Sv.
Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά παλαιοχριστιανική Λογοτεχνία. 2015.