ἐπ-ερώτημα, -ros, τό, (ἐπερωτάω) ; 1. an inquiry, a question: Hat. 6,67; Thue. 3, 53. 68. 2. a demand; so for the Chald. x>xw in Dan. iv. 14 Theod.; see ἐπερωTd, 2. 3. As the terms of inquiry and demand often include the idea of desire, the word thus gets the signification of earnest seeking, i. 6. a craving, an intense de sire (so ἐπερωτᾶν εἴς τι; to long for something, 2S. xi. 7 — [but surely the phrase here (like ἢ Osv) means simply to ask in reference to, ask about]). If this use of the word is conceded, it affords us the easiest and most congruous explanation of that vexed passage 1 Pet. tii. 21: “which (baptism) now saves us [you] not because in receiving it we [ye] have put away the filth of the flesh, but because we [ye] have earnestly sought a conscience reconciled to God ” (συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς gen. of the obj., as opp. to σαρκὸς ῥύπου). It is doubtful, indeed, whether εἰς θεόν is to be joined with ἐπερώτημα, and signifies a _eraving directed unto God [W. 194 (182) — yet less fully and decidedly than in ed. 5, p. 216 sq.], or with συνείδησις, and denotes the attitude of the conscience towards (in relation to) God; the latter construction is favored by a comparison of Acts xxiv. 16 ἀπρόσκοπον συνείδησιν ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν θεόν. The signification of ἐπερ. which is approved by others, viz. stipulation, agreement, is first met with in the Byzantine writers on law; “moreover, the sued εἐπέχω formula κατὰ τὸ ἐπερώτημα τῆς σεμνοτάτης βουλῆς, common in inscriptions of the age of the Antonines and the following Cesars, exhibits no new sense of the word éir:patnua; for this formula does not mean ‘ace. to the decree of the senate’ (ex senatus consulto, the Grk. for which is κατὰ ta δόξαντα τῇ βουλῇ), but ‘after inquiry of or application to the senate,’ i. 6. ‘ with government sanction.’” Zezschwitz, Petri ap. de Christi ad inferos descensu sententia (Lips. 1857) p. 45; [ Farrar, Early Days of Christianity,i. 138 n.; Kahler, Das Gewissen, i. 1 (Halle 1878) pp- 331-338. Others would adhere to the (more analogical) passive sense of ἐπερ. viz. ‘the thing asked (the demand) of a good conscience towards God’ i. q. the avowal of consecration unto him].

ἐπερώτημα eperōtēma 1x

pr. an interrogation, question; in NT profession, pledge, 1 Pet. 3:21*

** ἐπ-ερώτημα, -τος, τό

[in LXX: Da TH 4:14 (שְׁאֵלָא), Si 36(33):3 * ;]

a question, an inquiry (Hdt., Thuc.).

a demand: I Pe 3:21 (v. ICC, in l).†

ἐπερώτημα is used in the same technical way as the verb (see s.v. ἐπερωτάω) in P Cairo Preis 11 (ii/A.D.) ἐὰν γὰρ μηδὲν ἐπερώ9) , ἐπέχω Type ἡ ἐνγεγρα[μμένον . . - , with Wilcken’s note “ ἐπερώτημα = stipulatio (4. i. ἐπερωτηθεὶς ὡμολόγησα). This would seem to help the meaning of the word in the difficult passage I Pet 324: cf. Blenkin’s note in CG7 ad Δ For the word = “‘inquiry of” and hence ‘‘sanction,” cf. Sy// 397° (Roman age) κατὰ τὸ ἐπερώτημα τῶν κρατίστων ᾿Αρεοπαγειτῶν, 7. 593. (after middle of iii/A.D.) καθ᾽ ὑπομνηματισμὸν τῆς ἐξ᾿ Αρείου πάγου βουλῆς kal ἐπερώτημα τῆς βουλῆς τῶν &. For the form ἐπερώτησις, see P Oxy IV. 71818 (a.p. 180-92) ws ἐξ ἐπερω[τήσεως κτήτ]ορος, ““ ἴῃ answer to an inquiry concerning the landlord” (Edd.), 26. IX. 1205® (A.D. 291) ἐπερωτήσεώς τε γενομένης [ὡμολογήσαμεν, Sy 555° (about A.D. 1) τᾶς] Sérepwrdo[e]os kal τοῦ χρησμοῦ ἀντίγραφά ἐστι τάδε.

ἐπερώτημα (eperōtēma) — pledge. ἐπερώτ-ημα, Ionic dialect ἐπειρ-, ατος, τό, question, [Refs 5th c.BC+]

2. answer to inquiry put to higher authority: hence, sanction, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]

3. = Latin stipulatio, PCair. Preis.1.16 [Refs 2nd c.AD+]: hence probably, pledge, [Refs].