Phil 1:9 Preposition EN

Harry W. Jones hjbluebird at aol.com
Thu May 24 18:51:16 EDT 2001


Dear Brian,

You said:

> Greetings,
> 
> KAI TOUTO PROEUXOMAI
> INA H AGAPH UMWN ETI MALLON KAI PERISSEUH
> EN EPIGNWSEI KAI PASH AISQHSEI
> 
> I hope I have transliterated this correctly, feel free to correct me!
> 
> My question to the list is how do you take the preposition EN in this
> instance?  Do you see it as the result of PERISSEUH?  Do you take it as the
> cause?  Is this discriptive of the love?  If I have done my lexical work
> correctly, these are all possibilities.  What are the markers and reasons
> you choose as you do?
> 
> 
> Student
> Brian P. Swedburg

In reply,
 The way EN is used is based upon the case of its noun object. In this 
situation I believe that EPIGNWSEI is being used in an instrumental
sense and therefore EN should be translated as, "by means of". 

You asked a very good question because there is no way to determine
by the case ending, the exact definition of EN. You have one meaning
for the LOC. case and another for the INST. case. So the only way
to determine the meaning of EN would be by context. How its 
object is use. Either in the LOC. sense or the INST. sense.

Sincerely, 
hjbluebird at aol.com



More information about the B-Greek mailing list