Gal. 1:1, 3-Any Significance in One Preposition?

George Blaisdell maqhth at hotmail.com
Tue Dec 29 19:26:45 EST 1998


Trevor Peterson writes:


I can't comment right now on how common it is, but I did a
little
investigation into this sort of construction in John 3:5.  

L. Belleville... alludes to a difficulty in the physiological view based 
on the construction of EN hUDATOS KAI PNEUMATOS as a preposition
followed by two anarthrous nouns, linked by the conjunction KAI.   

R. Summers... suggests Titus 3:5 as a parallel construction, where
the preposition is DIA and the washing and renewing ministries
of the Spirit are tied together in the one act which produces
salvation.   

A. T. Robertson... sees some flexibility in the Koine, yet he seems to 
affirm that the preposition would generally be repeated if the two nouns 
could not be categorized together.

The conclusion I drew is that it is at least possible to infer a
closer association with a shared preposition than without...

Trevor and Edgar ~

The anarthrous nature of this construction seems to beg that they be 
linked somehow, because if either were to be used alone, an article 
would [usually] be present, with the conclusion, to my thinking, that 
the jointed [KAI] objects of the preposition function as the  articles.  
It is an interesting grammatical point that might have additional light 
available in more classical works.  [Carl??]

As well, I have often wondered why most translations of John 3:5 use "OF 
water and spirit" rather than IN or WITHIN water and spirit.  

I share your conclusion [Trevor] and yet I am wondering if it might be 
on the tentative side of things ~ Perhaps a good 'proof' might be found 
in the literature where such a construction REQUIRES both substantives 
for a particular outcome.

Grace and peace to all in this sacred season...

George



George Blaisdell
Roslyn, WA


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