hWSTE in 1 Cor 5.1--epexegetical?

Clwinbery at aol.com Clwinbery at aol.com
Mon Dec 23 11:27:19 EST 2002



In a message dated 12/23/02 12:20:31 AM, slovullo at mac.com writes:

>Hi all:
>
>Just a quick question regarding hWSTE in 1 Cor 5.1, which reads:
>
>hOLWS AKOUETAI EN hUMIN PORNEIA, KAI  hHTIS OUDE EN TOIS
>
>EQNESIN, hWSTE GUNAIKA TINA TOU PATROS ECEIN.
>
>BDAG lists this use of hWSTE as a marker of actual result followed by 
>accusative and infinitive (2.a.beta). However, after referencing 1Cor 
>5.1, they have in parentheses the gloss "of such a kind that." Since 
>hWSTE does not seem to be subordinate to AKOUETAI (which is explicit in
>
>the first clause and understood with the coordinate clause and the 
>relative clause), my initial hunch was that it should be taken as 
>epexegetical to TOIAUTH. This *appears* to be what BDAG is saying with
>
>the gloss "of such a kind that." The only other reference tool I 
>consulted that suggested epexegesis was _The New Linguistic and 
>Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament_. Do you think hWSTE is 
>indeed epexegetical here? If so, why would BDAG list it under actual 
>result, though their gloss seems to indicate something else?
>============
>
>Steven R. Lo Vullo

Steven, I think that the complicating factor in understanding this use of the 
infinitive is the presence of hWSTE. Because of hWSTE some might try and 
explain the function of the infinitive as result (certainly not purpose). 
However, it seems to me that the infinitive structure introduced by hWSTE 
clearly does explain the PORNEIA. Hence, while it is rare in the NT, I would 
say that it does function like an expexegetic infinitive relating to a noun 
(Funk, Hellenistic Greek Vol II,p. 655ff.). I think the first occurance of 
PORNIA is modified by three structures, the repeat of the noun with the 
adjective (apposition), the relative clause introduced by hHTIS, and the 
structure introduced by hWSTE with the infinitive.  The rarity is the 
epexegetic infinitive buried in a hWSTE clause, so it seems to me.

Carlton Winbery
Louisiana College



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