Mark,
Beachhead (regardless of its precise definition) really does not get at the right force of topos. Where did you see that definition?
Topos is more properly translated simply as "place" or as in this instance (Eph 4:27) as "opportunity, possibility" We would get at this double meaning with the oldish word "room"
BDAG (correcly I think) translates topos here as "do not give to the devil a chance to extert his influence"
Other places to see topos used in this manner are: Heb. 12:17; Acts 25:16.
Here is the TDNT comment:
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b. In Place of, Opportunity. This post-class. use develops out of the gen. sense of "place for something or someone"; there is a series of par. to this Gk. development in the Lat. locus.21 The starting-pt. is the idea associated with τόπο&#9 62; that all things and people have their own special places, cf. seat at a meal, Jos.Ant., 12, 210, at school, Diog. L., VII, 22, the senator's seat in the theatre, Epict.Diss., I, 25, 27, cf. Res Gestae Divi Augusti, 7, 2 f.,22 fig. the place in the theatre of the world which one should leave willingly, Epict.Diss., IV, 1, 106. The par. to the Latin is evident in the Gk. expressions εἰς τόπο&#9 57; τινό&#9 62; (in alicuius locum)23 "in place of," "instead of someone," and τόπο&#9 57; τινὸ&#962 ; ἔχω (in alicuius loco esse)24 "to take someone's place or position." As regards the former cf. the rule that the town whose judge is chosen as president should send another judge εἰς τὸν τούτο υ τόπον , Diod. S., 1, 75, 4, Augustus: Nicolaus Damascenus Vita Caesaris, 4,25 the member entering a society in place of a deceased person, Inscr. Perg., 374B, 21 ff.26 In all these cases we have an expression which is to be taken adverbially "in his place," "in place of." The abs. "position" is not attested for τόπο&#9 62; in Gk.27 On τόπο&#9 57; τινὸ&#962 ; ἔχω cf. φίλο&#9 65; οὐ δύνασ αι τόπο&#9 57; ἔχει&#957 ;, Epict.Diss., II, 4, 5, also Dion. Hal. De Demosthene, 23. Transf. τόπο&#9 62; as "room for something" means "opportunity," "occasion" and corresponds in this to a widespread Lat. use.28 Sometimes local elements are still perceptible in τόπος , e.g., "room, opportunity for flight," Heliodor.Aeth., VI, 13, but mostly the use is quite abstract, e.g., par. ἀφορ&#956 ;ή: "Where is there still reason (τόπο&#962
for tears? What occasion (ἀφορ&#95 6;&#942
is there still for flattery?" Epict.Diss., I, 9, 20; cf. II, 13, 10; III, 24, 56; cf. the oldest instance of this usage, Polyb., 1, 88, 2. Common expressions are τόπο&#9 57; λαμβά νω, "to get the opportunity," Jos.Ant., 16, 190, τόπο&#9 57; δίδωμ ι, "to give opportunity, occasion," Plut.Adulat., 21 (II, 62d), cf. De cohibenda ira, 14 (II, 462b); PhiloMut. Nom., 270,29 τόπο&#9 57; ἔχω, "to have an opportunity, possibility, ground," Epict.Diss., I, 24, 15; cf. 18, 12; IV, 10, 7; Jos.Ant., 16, 258.30 Of this usage, which arose in Hell. Gk. under Lat. influence (→ n. 30&#65279
, there are further instances in biblical Gk. → 200, 2 ff.
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. Edited by Kittel, Gerhard, Geoffrey William Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Vol. 8, Page 190. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964-c1976.[/quote:b1a405a500]
and
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The use of τόπο&#9 62; for "the place which someone takes" or "which pertains to him" corresponds to current Greek usage → 190, 3 ff. Luke especially uses the word in this way, e.g., for placing by rank at a meal in 14:9, cf. 14:10, and for a place to stay in the inn, 2:7. The place of the layman in the meeting of the church might also be mentioned in this connection, 1 C. 14:16.136 Whether this usage had already produced the technical sense of "position," "office," in the primitive Christian period is debated. Reference is mostly made to λαβε&#8150 ;ν τὸν τόπον 137 τῆς διακο νίας ταύτη ς καὶ ἀποσ&#964 ;ολῆς in Ac. 1:25. But the circumlocutory way of speaking is of itself enough to show that a technical use of this kind cannot be presupposed here.138 Rather τόπο&#9 62; in Ac. 1:25a bears the same meaning as in the statement which follows in 1:25b: "the right place for someone"; thus the empty place in the apostolic band goes to the one who is elected,139 while Judas has gone to the place where he really belongs, namely, hell.140 In both cases, then, τόπο&#9 62; is the place which is assigned by God and which man must fill either as a commission or as a punishment.
As in general Greek usage (→ 190, 18 ff.), so in the NT the transferred sense of "opportunity" is very closely related to that of "place for something":141 to have no place and hence no "opportunity" for mission (R. 15:28), τόπο&#9 57; ἀπολ&#959 ;γίας λαμβά νω, Ac. 25:16 → 190, 24. The contemporaneous influence of later Jewish usage (→ 201, 4 ff.) asserts itself when this opportunity is the divinely presented "possibility" of life and salvation. Here again theological matters are set forth as though they could be localised, → n. 87. What is meant is the basic theological opening up of repentance, obedience etc.; thus it is said of Esau: μεταν οίας τόπο&#9 57; οὐχ εὗρε&#957 ;, Hb. 12:17. What is expressed here is the Jewish and primitive Christian view that man cannot control repentance at will.142 A special divine act is needed as in the sending of such prophetic figures as John the Baptist and Hermas. By this act the τόπο&#9 62; μεταν οίας becomes a reality.143 Hb. 8:7 is to be understood similarly: "For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." What is sought is the divine act which establishes a new covenant. R. 12:19 demands that the divine144 wrath be allowed to work (δότε τόπο&#9 57; τῇ ὀργ&#8135
,&# 65279;145 (→ II, 444, 9 ff.).146 On the other hand, Eph. 4:27 warns against giving place to the devil.147
But this transferred understanding of τόπο&#9 62; is also found in the NT in mythical style, cosmic and heavenly being referred to as though they were places in a geographical sense.148 The aim of this usage is to depict theological realities which are significant for the community. The link with mythical-cosmic speech is particularly clear in Rev.:149 All the mountains (→ V, 486, 21 ff.) and islands are to be moved out of their places, 6:14b.150 With direct theological implications it is said in 2:5 that the candlestick of the disobedient congregation is to be removed from its place. The cosmic background of this view of place is obvious, since behind the seven candlesticks are seven stars (or planets?) (→ I, 504, 15 ff.)151 which have their own places in the cosmos. In the present context, of course, the reference is to the eschatological possibility of the community. The possibility of existence which God has given the community and the heavenly place of the candlestick are identical. Similarly the mythical reference to place in Rev. 12 is a statement about the theological place of the Church. The woman who symbolises the Church has in the wilderness "the place which God has prepared for her" (12:6) so that she can flee to her place in persecution (12:14). This reference to place is thus a promise that God will sustain the Church's life. Conversely absence of place means destruction, the extinguishing of existence. When the dragon is expelled from heaven (Rev. 12:8) and when heaven and earth flee at God's appearing (20:11), the expression καὶ τόπο&#9 62; οὐχ εὑρέ&#952 ;η αὐτο&#815 0;ς, which is taken from Da. 2:35 Θ, signifies their hopeless transitoriness, for only he who has his place can really endure. Outside Rev. there is only occasional reference to the heavenly place of the community or the individual, and now more in the interests of edification, Jn. 14:2; cf. 14:3.152 But there is also a place of torment, Lk. 16:28. Thus it is said of Judas that he goes εἰς τὸν τόπο&#9 57; τὸν ἴδιο&#957 ;,153 Ac. 1:25b.154
Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Vols. 5-9 edited by Gerhard Friedrich. Vol. 10 compiled by Ronald Pitkin. Edited by Kittel, Gerhard, Geoffrey William Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Vol. 8, Page 205-207. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964-c1976.[/quote:b1a405a500]