Rev 4.11 (breaking of Sharp's Rule)

GregStffrd at aol.com GregStffrd at aol.com
Thu Jun 21 11:52:39 EDT 2001


In a message dated 06/20/2001 11:56:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
language_lover64801 at yahoo.com writes:

<< I'm just curious about the first part of the verse... Is it OK grammar for
 John to have included an article for both KURIOS and QEOS?  Is there
 anything inherently wrong with this... in regard to Granville Sharp's
 Rule?
 
 Thanks,
 Jason >>


Dear Jason:

No, it does not conflict with Sharp's rule in as much as Sharp discussed the 
implications of substantives connected by KAI where only the first was 
preceded by the article. However, your example does nullify the argument 
often offered by strong advocates of Sharp, namely, that if two persons are 
meant in certain texts then the article could simply have been used before 
the second noun. Your example, and many others, shows that this is not the 
case. Thus, we need to be careful when we approach such texts and let the 
restrictive force of the nouns and the context have a say in whether or not 
one or two persons are meant in ARTICLE-NOUN-KAI-NOUN and 
ARTICLE-NOUN-KAI-ARTICLE-NOUN constructions. There are exceptions to both 
when the aforementioned (restrictive force [proper names and terms equivalent 
or in excess of proper names in terms of being restricted to one known 
person] and context) are considered. 

Best regards,

Greg Stafford



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