adverbial use of prepositional phrase in Luke 23:43?

Kevin Buchs buchsk at charter.net
Thu Sep 26 08:09:09 EDT 2002


I'll post the background first since I am so slow in replying and then
my question follows.

My original question:
> Is it possible to understand the phrase  MET EMOU in Luke 23:43 as
> modifying the verb ESH ?   It seems the common understanding is to
> take it as a parallel direct object along with EN TW PARADEISW .

Steven Lo Vullo wrote:
>ESHi is a future form of EIMI, a verb of being. Such verbs do not
take
>an object, but a predicate nominative, as well as other kinds of
>complements such as prepositional phrases. So, both MET' EMOU and EN
>TWi PARADEISWi are adverbial complements with ESHi. Most purists
would
>balk at speaking of an adverbial "modfier" for EIMI, and would prefer
>the term "complement."

Steven, thanks for helping me with the terminology.

Carl Conrad wrote:
>Who takes it as a direct object? and of what? I see no other way of
>understanding the phrase than as an adverbial complement of ESHi EN
TWi
>PARADEISWi.

I think the question mostly comes from my mistaken terminology.  See
next question.

My Question:  The verb of being (ESHi) takes a complement that gives
the state or place of being, in this case, EN TWi PARADEISWi.  Steven
suggests the MET' EMOU is also a adverbial complement of ESHi while
Carl identifies it as the complement of ESHi EN TWi PARADEISWi.
English translations typically read, for me at least, with "with me"
and "in paradise" being parallel.  Syntactically, I see something
different about MET' EMOU in that it preceeds the verb.  Could this
prepositional phrase be understood to serve a different adverbial
function?  Could it answer questions such as, what is the antecedent
condition to the verb taking effect, or under what conditions would
the verb take effect?  In my simplistic thinking on grammer, I see "in
paradise" clearly serving as identifying the state/place of being.
"With me" could also certainly do that, but I would then imagine that
would be better indicated by this prepositional phrase following the
verb as the other does, not preceeding it.  English translations do
not follow this ordering.  Does it not communicate something different
in English to say, "today with me you will be in paradise." ?

Thank you for any further thoughts you might have on this.

Kevin Buchs  buchsk at charter.net  Rochester, MN





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