Christ Grown into Perfection 97 no support for this reading from any external example. This does not demonstrate the usual translations to be wrong, but makes them challengeable. To find an appropriate understanding for the phrase, then, let us consider firstly what is meant by ajgaqav from a semantic point of view(17). ∆Agaqovn is a nominalized adjective, derived from ajgaqov", meaning ‘good’. It can, in a singular form, refer to ‘the good’ in opposition to ‘the evil’ (cf. Sir 39,3), while in the plural it occurs often in the sense of ‘good things’ (cf. e.g. Gen 24,10). A special use of the noun is to be found, e.g., in Philo (Leg.all. 3,86), who in this special case makes use of the concept to; agaqon j v in a way which provides insight into its use in Hebrews. Within an interpretation of God’s guarantee that Sarah would give birth to a son named Isaac (Gen 17,19) as being a promise of something good Philo explains: There are some good things which are an advantage to a man when they are realised and present (e[nia tw'n ajgaqw'n genovmena kai; parovnta wjfelei'), such as good health, a sound condition of the outwards senses, riches, if he be endowed with them, a good reputation; for all these things may, by a slight perversion of words, be called good things (legevsqw gavr ajgaqav). Philo then continues: … all other good qualities have their own separate operation and effect, but joy is both a separate good and a common good (hJ de; cara; kai; i[dion kai; koino;n ajgaqovn ejstin), for it comes as a crowning one after all the rest – for we feel joy at good health, and we feel joy at liberty and at honour, and at all other such things, so that one may say with propriety that there is not one single good thing which has not the additional good of joy (mhde;n einai agaqon, w|/ mh; prosesti cara). \ j v v v Another example for the use of ajgaqovn is to be found in Philo, Quis div. her. 98: But the new blessing which is promised is the acquisition of that wisdom (to; de; nevon ajgaqo;n klhronomh'sai sofivan) which is not taught (a[dekton) by the outward senses… —————— 2 Kgs 10,19.21 etc.; tou' Nanaiou: 2 Macc 1,15; aujtou' = Melcom: Jer 30,19; tou' Bhl: Bel v 1,15 et al.; tou' Dio": Acts 14,13; b) the place where the priest serves, e.g. (ÔHlivou polew": v v Gen 41,45; Madiam: Exod 2,16; oi[kou andro" resp. fulh'" kai; oikou Israhl: Jdg 18,19; tw'n j v [ uJyhlw'n: 1 Kgs 12,32; 13,2; 2 Kgs 23,9; oi[kwn: Neh 13,4; th'" povlew": 2 Macc 3,9; tou' (megivstou) iJerou': 2 Macc 14,13; Luke 22,52; Acts 4:1; c) the people, for what he serves, e.g. aujtw'n = oiJ uiJoi; Israhl kai; Iouda: Jer 39,32 (LXX); aujtw'n = oiJ Caldaioi: EpJer 1,54; ' aujth'" = th'" gh'": Ezek 22,26; tou' laou: Matt 2,4; d) the ruler, under whom he serves, e.g. ' tou' Dauid: 2 Sam 20,26); e) a temporal determination, e.g. tou' ejniautou': John 11,51; 18,13). Only in Heb 3,1 (aj. th'" omologia") the genitive could be understood as referring to J v ‘our agreement’ or ‘our confession’. This reference is, however, not undisputed; cf. FUHRMANN, Vergeben, 75-79. (17) For the meaning of genomevnwn, as aorist participle of giv(g)nomai, no thoroughgoing analysis is required. When it is used without a predicate it has to be understood as a complete statement with an existential meaning, e.g.: ‘something has become; has happened; came into being; etc…’, cf. therefore, besides the relevant lexica, the remarks and further literature in M.F. BURNYEAT, “Apology 30B 2-4: Socrates, Money, and the Grammar of GIGNESQAI”, JHS 123 (2003) 9-10.