hebrews as an instructional appendix to romans 253
second meaning: “once for all” (e.g., eupolis; rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12; 10:10)
represent the sum total of passages in which the word occurs.38
’Εφάπαξ in Commentaries on Romans
In investigations of the meaning and import of an expression such as
ἐφάπαξ, commentaries are useful for the systematic manner in which they
process and summarize a broad swath of comparative material. In his
commentary on romans (1993), Joseph Fitzmyer does not mention other
occurrences of the word, however.39 robert Jewett argues that stählin’s
view of ἐφάπαξ (TDNT) as a technical term in rom 6:10 is unwarranted.40
Jewett prefers to think that the term only acquires its technical sense
in Hebrews. In agreement with spicq, Jewett takes ἐφάπαξ as a simple
synonym of ἅπαξ, emphasizing a late occurrence in pseudo-lucian, Dem.
enc. 18.6: ἐπὶ Δημοσθένην ὅλον ἐφάπαξ (“if you would turn your view to the
whole matter of demosthenes once and for all”).41
’Εφάπαξ in the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae
In a search of digitized Greek literature from Homer (ca. 8 c. bce) to
beyond the fall of byzantium (1453 ce), the tlG registers two hundred
and two hits (02/11/13) for the word ἐφάπαξ. of these hits, only two occur-
rences predate paul’s letters. neither occurrence is new, that is, the lexica
discussed above include both. the first example is in a work by the little-
known, fifth century, athenian poet, eupolis (ca. 446–411 bce) found in
the Comicorum Atticorum fragmenta (Kock 175).42 the second example is
in aristophanes of byzantium’s (ca. 257–185/180 bce, successor to eratos-
thenes as head of the library of alexandria) Aristophanis historiae anima-
lium epitome subjunctis Aeliani Timothei aliorumque eclogis, a work based
38 p. xxvii. the entry, ἐφάπαξ in EDNT, 2:91–92 observes that paul uses ἅπαξ solely in
the numerical sense.
39 He suggests parenthetically 1 cor 15:45 (with cf.: 1 pet 3:18) as points of comparison
for the entire verse (Romans [ab 33; new York: doubleday, 1993], 438).
40 G. stählin, “ἅπαξ, ἐφάπαξ,” TDNT, 1:383. Jewett, Romans (Hermeneia; minneapolis:
Fortress, 2007), 407 n.182.
41 Jewett, Romans, 407, esp. n. 182. In n. 181 Jewett notes parallels in dio cassius, Hist.
Rom. 66.17.5.5; 69.8.2.3; s211.4; s246.12 as well as eupolis comic Frag. 175: “alone” and aris-
tophanes Gramm. Epit. 2.439: “one at a time.” lucian: ca. 125–180 ce.
42 Kock’s fragment of Εὔπολις Κόλαξιν from bekker, Anecd. 96.17.