mangling of limbs

μέλος, ους, τό (Hom.+)

① a part of the human body, member, part, limb lit., of parts of the human body (cp. Did., Gen. 8 A, 7) καθάπερ ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι πολλὰ μ. ἔχομεν as we have many parts/members in one body Ro 12:4ab; cp. 1 Cor 12:12a, 14, 18–20, 25f; Js 3:5 (Apollod. [II B.C.]: 244 Fgm. 307 Jac. κράτιστον τῶν μελῶν ἡ γλῶσσα). τὰ μ. τοῦ σώματος the parts of the body (Diod S 5, 18, 12; Philo, In Flacc. 176; Orig., C. Cels. 7, 38, 13) 1 Cor 12:12b, 22; 1 Cl 37:5; Dg 6:2. W. σάρξ 6:6. μ. σκοτεινόν Lk 11:36 v.l. W. gen. of pers. Mt 5:29f (cp. Sextus 13); Ro 6:13ab; 19ab; 7:5, 23ab; Js 3:6; 4:1 (the pl. in these pass. may also refer to the ‘body’ as the sum of its parts, but the pl. τὰ μέλη Pind., N. 11, 15 which has been used in support does not mean the body as such, but is used with pathos in reference to the athlete’s limbs, so vital to his profession, as θνατά, i.e. while enjoying vigor the athlete must recognize his mortality). συγκοπὴ μελῶν mangling of limbs (leading to martyrdom; Diod S 17, 83, 9 describes a procedure of this kind) IRo 5:3.—Metaph. of sinful characteristics or behavior νεκρώσατε τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς put to death your worldly parts = put to death whatever in you is worldly Col 3:5.

② a part as member of a whole, member fig. extension of 1: of the many-sided organism of the Christian community (on the figure of the body and its members, a favorite one in ancient lit., e.g. Aristot., Pol. 1253a 20–29; cp. Ar. 13, 5; Ath. 8, 1; s. Ltzm., Hdb. on 1 Cor 12:12; WNestle, D. Fabel des Menenius Agrippa: Klio 21, 1927, 350–60): the individual Christians are members of Christ, and together they form his body (for this idea cp. Simplicius in Epict. p. 70, 51: souls are μέρη τοῦ θεοῦ; 71, 5.—At p. 80, 54 the soul is called μέρος ἢ μέλος τοῦ θεοῦ; Iren. 5, 2, 2 [Harv. II 319, 2, 1]) 1 Cor 12:27; Eph 5:30; 1 Cl 46:7; IEph 4:2; ITr 11:2; cp. Eph 4:16 v.l. ἀλλήλων μέλη members of each other Ro 12:5; Eph 4:25; 1 Cl 46:7b. In 1 Cor 6:15a for a special reason the σώματα of the Christians are called μέλη Χριστοῦ. Since acc. to Paul’s understanding of Gen 2:24 sexual intercourse means fusion of bodies (1 Cor 6:16), relations w. a prostitute fr. this point of view become particularly abhorrent vs. 15b.—DELG. M-M. TW. Sv.