Re: Ephesians 5:17

GLENN WOODEN (glenn.wooden@acadiau.ca)
Thu, 28 Mar 1996 10:28:38 AST4ADT

Carlton,

> I would add to what Carl Conrad said. TI is the neuter of the indefinite
> pronoun TIS and functions in this sentence as a relative pronoun. As Carl
> said the whole clause serves as the direct object (showing indirect
> discourse) of the imperative verb or participle. Within the clause TI
> would be the subject (nominative) and TO QELHMA is the predicate nominative
> with the verb ESTIN understood.

Your explanation of this construction raised some questions for me.
Could TI not be the interrogative and the sentence TI TO QELHMA TOU
KURIOU an indirect question? Also, could TO QELHMA not be the
subject and TI the predicate nominative? For both of these the
statement would be: "The will of the Lord is X". I honestly do not
know the answer to the questions I raise and would appreciate some
clarification from those who do!

Glenn Wooden
Acadia Divinity College
Wolfville N.S.
Canada

wooden@acadiau.ca