I John 1:8

Polycarp66 at aol.com Polycarp66 at aol.com
Fri Apr 19 22:54:02 EDT 2002


In a message dated 4/18/2002 1:44:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
msawilowsky at bryanisd.org writes:


> I am at the beginning of my studies of NT Greek and am currently working
> through Mounce's "A Graded Reader of Biblical Greek."
> I am stuck on one of his questions...
> 
> I John 1:8   " EAN EIPWMEN hOTI  hAMARTIAN OUK ECOMEN"
> 
> Based on BAGD, 2, hAMAPTIA ... hAMAPTIAN ECEIN means "to possess a sinful
> nature".  If this is correct, how does it affect your exegesis?  Had the
> author intended here to refer to individual sinful acts, what verb would
> he probably used?
> 

I'm not sure if anyone has answered this yet.  If so, I missed it.  

I get the impression that you consider hAMARTIAN to be a verb whereas it 
actually is a noun.  

1 Jn 1.8
EAN EIPWMEN hOTI hAMATIAN OUK EXOMEN, hEAUTOUS PLANWMEN KAI hH ALHQEIA OUK 
ESTIN EN hHMIN.

I find 4 verses in the NT (2 in the same discourse) with hAMARTIA in the 
accusative and a form of EXW as the verb governing it (in addition to this 
verse).

Jn 9.41
EIPEN AUTOIS hO IHSOUS EI TUFLOI HTE, OUK AN EIXETE hAMARTIAN; NUN DE LEGETE 
hOTI BLEPOMEN, hH hAMARTIAN hUMWN MENEI.

Jn 15. 22 & 24
EI MH HLQON KAI ELALHSA AUTOIS, hAMARTIAN OUK EIXOSAN; NUN DE PROFASIN OUK 
EXOUSIN PERI THW hAMARTIAS AUTWN.

EI TA ERGA MH EPOIHSA EN AUTOIS hA OUDEIS ALLOS EPOIHSEN, hAMARTIAN OUK 
EIXOSAN; NUN DE KAI hEWRAKASIN KAI MEMISHKASIN KAI EME KAI TON PATERA MOU.

Jn 19.11
APEKRIQH [AUTWi] IHSOUS: OUK EIXES ECOUSIAN KAT' EMOU OUDEMIAN EI MH HN 
DEDOMENON SOI ANWQEN; DIA TOUTO hO PARADOUS ME SOI MEIZONA hAMARTIAN EXEI.

One more verse which is different.  Here it is spoken not of "having sin" but 
of "having  a ransom" which is described as AFESIN hAMARTIWN.

Col 1.14
EN hWi EXOMEN THN APOLUTRWSIN, THN AFESIN hAMARTIWN.

With a form of EXW it indicates a condition or characteristic.  BGAD has s.v. 
EXW

e. of all conditions of body and soul . . . . 
b. gener. of conditions, characteristics, capabilities, emotions, inner 
possession: AGAPHN E. have love (cf. Diod. S. 3, 58, 3 FILIAN EXEIN) J 5:42; 
13:35; 15:13; 1J 4:16; 1 Cor 13:1ff; 2 Cor 2:4; Phil 2:2; 1 Pt 4:8. AGNWSIAN 
QEOU fail to know God 1 Cor 15:34. hAMARTIAN J 9:41; 15:22a. ASQENEIAN Hb 
7:28. GNWSIN 1 Cor 8:1, 10. ELPIDA Ac 24:15; Ro 15:4; 2 Cor 3:12; 10:15; Eph 
2:12; 1J 3:3. EPIQUMIAN Phil 1:23. EPIPOQIAN Ro 15:23b; ZHLON E. have zeal Ro 
10:2. Have jealousy Js 3:14. QUMON Rv 12:12. LUPHN J 16:21f; 2 Cor 2:3; Phil 
2:27; MNEIAN TINOS E. remember someone 1 Th 3:6. PARRHSIAAN Phlm 8; Hb 10:19; 
1 J 2:28; 3:21; 4:17; 5:14. PEPOIQHSIN 2 Cor 3:4; Phil 3:4. PISTIN Mt 17:20; 
21:21; Ac 14:9; Ro 14:22; 1 Cor 13:2; 1 Ti 1:19 al. PROPHTEIAN have the gift 
of prophecy 1 Cor 13:2. SOFIAN (X., Mem. 2, 3, 10) Rv 17:9. SUNEIDHSIN 
hAMARTIWN Hb 10:2. KALHN SUNEIDHSIN 13:18; AGAQHN S. 1 Ti 1:19; 1 Pt 3:16; 
aAPOSKOPON S. Ac 24:16; hUPOMONHN Rv 2:3. FOBON 1 Ti 5:20. XARAN Phlm 7. 
XARIN E. TINI be grateful to someone Lk 17:9; 1 Ti 1:12; 2 Ti 1:3; SIGH E. be 
silent Hs 9, 11, 5. 

The verses cited, however, do not simply refer to one's condition generally.  
In some cases they refer to specific acts - such as handing Jesus over for 
crucifiction. Regarding individual acts the general verb is (what else!) 
hAMARTANW.  See 2 verses down at 1 Jn 1.10

EAN EIPWMEN hOTI OUK hHMARTHKAMEN, YEUSTHN POIOUMEN AUTON KAI hO LOGOS AUTOU 
OUK ESTIN EN hHMIN.

Does this perhaps seem rather parallel to 1.8?  hEAUTOUS PLANWMEN . . . 
YEUSTHN POIOUMEN AUTON.

gfsomsel
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