article beginning a clause?

Carlton Winbery winberyc at speedgate.net
Sat Dec 30 13:37:23 EST 2000


Suedaleg at aol.com wrote (Please give a signature at the end);
>
>I ran across a construction I do not recall seeing before.  though it may be
>long enough that I have merely forgotten.  I would like to know your comments
>on this construction
>
>Luke 9:46 reads EISHLQE DE DIALOGISMOS EN AUTOIS, TO TIS AN EIH MEIZWN
>AOUTWN.
>
>The article starting the second clause (neuter nom/acc sing) having no noun
>to match must introduce a phrase, but appears to introduce the entire clause.
> This I can understand.  It seemed the clause modifies DIALOGISMOS, except
>the genders do not match.  If TO is to be understood as accusative it could
>modify the entire sentance (Eishlqe . . . AUTOIS) but is this possible.  It
>seems difficult in English.
>
>I have tentatively translated this "A dispute arose among them, over which
>would be the greatest of them."  the clause futher explaining "dispute".
>
See also Luke 1:62 ENENEUON TWi PATRI AUTOU TO TI AN QELOI KALEISQAI AUTO.
and Luke 22:23 ARXANTO SUZHTEIN PROS hEAUTOUS TO TIS ARA EIA EX AUTWN O
TOUTO MELLWN PRASSEIN.

This use of the optative involves an indirect rhetorical question. In the
case of this verse, Luke 22:23, and Luke 1:62 the article in the Neut.
Nom./acc. sg. is used. The article seems to transform the indirect question
into a neuter noun. In the case of Luke 9:46, it is in apposition
(Nominative case) to DIALOGISMOS. In Luke 22:23 it is the object of
SUZATEIN and in Luke 1:62 the object of ENENEUON. General ideas or thoughts
are often dealt with as neuter gender.

It seems to me that I have seen this structure elsewhere but I do not have
time to look for it. I remembered these because I translated Luke and
Matthew side by side from the Aland Synopsis in the last year. It confirmed
what I have long thought about Matthew and Luke which is not a proper topic
for this list.

P.S. I did not see Maurice's or Clayton's answer before I wrote the above.
I decided to send it anyway and then see if we agreed. I did this off the
top of my head. Here's hoping . . .


Carlton L. Winbery
Fogleman Prof. of Religion
Louisiana College Box 612
Pineville, LA 71359
winbery at andria.lacollege.edu
winberyc at speedgate.net
Phones 318 487 7241, Home 318 448 6103





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