Interesting word ... "so." The dictionary defines it as "to such a great extent" or "to the same extent" or "referring back to something" or "in a way described; thus." How do those work together? Not so much, I guess. (See? "Not so much" is "not much to a great extent.") Then, as a conjunction, it's "for this reason" or "with the result that" or "and then" or "introducing a question" or "in the same way." It becomes important, I think, to figure out which is being used because it changes the meaning.
Take, for instance, "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). Is that "God loved the world to a great extent"? Or is it "God loved the world in a described way"? Most of us use it in the former sense, but, as it turns out, the Greek word is specifically "in like manner." Thus, Jesus said, "God loved the world in this manner" and described the manner in which God loved the world -- by giving His Son for whomever would believe ... not a quantity ("so much"), but a quality of how God loved the world ("in this way").
There's another interesting "so" I saw recently. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt 5:16). Modern translations correctly say something like "in such a way" because that "so" before "shine" is intended to convey a particular way. It's puzzling to take this verse in a vaccuum because it's easy to wonder "In what way do I do good works in order that the Father gets glory?" We find the answer in the previous verses. "You are the light of the world. A town put on a hill may be seen by all. And a burning light is not put under a vessel, but on its table; so that its rays may be shining on all who are in the house" (Matt 5:14-15). Like a light on a hill or a candle on a table, do your good works to glorify God. That is, make your life a shining example of a changed life, a sacrificed life, a life lived for Him. He's saying to intentionally make your life a beacon for others to see. So ... what will you do? (See what I did there?)
2 comments:
Sometimes, English is awful. We have a vast array of words, but still have many words that have multiple meanings, that not even context can help understand which meaning to use.
I always so appreciate these looks at word usage that you give us, as they contribute to my understanding of Scripture so much.
So, why is it that many young-to-middle-age people these days start every sentence with “so”? So, I notice that on TV all the time--if someone asks a question of someone, the reply is, “So, …” And so goes the whole verbal exchange on their end. (So, apparently, it’s an easy habit to pick up! :)
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