Titus 1:6

Clwinbery at aol.com Clwinbery at aol.com
Mon Aug 5 21:59:09 EDT 2002



In a message dated 8/5/02 8:24:53 PM, lws39 at juno.com writes:

>It was my understanding that TEKNA, PISTA and ANUPOTAKTA agreed with one
>another.
>Walt Seevers
>On Mon, 5 Aug 2002 21:01:26 EDT OTEROFAMILY4 at aol.com writes:
>> Dear List,    
>> 
>> Ti 1:6 : EI TIS ESTIN ANEGKLHTOS MIAS GUNAIKOS ANHR TEKNA ECWN PISTA
>
>> MH EN 
>> KATHGORIA ASWTIAS H ANUPOTAKTA
>> 
>>  I'm trying to determine if the phrase "MH EN KATHGORIA ASWTIAS H 
>> ANUPOTAKTA" 
>> refers to the TEKNA or to the TIS/church leader. Virtually every 
>> translation 
>> refers it to the children, or simply inserts an ambiguous comma 
>> without 
>> explicit reference. The NASB seems to be the only one connecting it 
>> to the 
>> leader.
>> However, it seems to me that for a number of reasons it should refer
>
>> to the 
>> leader:
>> 1. Grammatically, I would expect to see a relative connecting it to 
>> the 
>> children (in fact, some older translations add a relative). The 
>> author 
>> doesn't seem to be opposed to using relatives (cf. 1:10,11,KTL)
>> 
>> 2.  The general "style" of vv. 6-11 seems to be one of short, non 
>> hypotactic 
>> clauses (except for v. 11, which has 3 relatives)
>> 
>> 3. V. 6 seems to be a sort of self contained unit describing the 
>> arch-characteristic of ANEGKLHTOS. The next phrases seem to expound 
>> on this 
>> characteristic by relating to a) wife, b) children, and then c) self
>
>> - the 
>> whole household in effect  (I know this touches on hermeneutics/ 
>> exegesis, 
>> but it bears somewhat on the passage).
>> 
>> Any suggestions are appreciated (especially in regards to linguistic
>
>> 
>> analyses)
>> 
>> Esteban Otero
>> Tampa, FL 
>> 

EI TIS ESTIN ANEGKLHTOS, MIAS GUNAIKOS ANHR, TEKNA ECWN PISTA, MH EN 
KATHGORIAi ASWTIAS H ANUPOTAKTA.

As Walt Seevers has pointed out the noun and two adjectives ending in A all 
agree in case gender and number, thus the two adjectives modify TEKNA. The MH 
. . . H . . . link the last adjective with the phrase EN KATHGORIAi ASWTIAS 
so it also must modify TEKNA.   ECWN the participle agrees with TIS in case 
gender and number and thus modifies the subject of the sentence. Hence "If 
there is anyone who has faithful children (who are) not under accusation of 
wantonness nor unruly."  Then we must assume that these are candidates for 
the rolls of Elders.

Carlton Winbery
Louisiana College



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