John 20:31 was Re: [B-Greek] Phil 2:11

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Wed Oct 15 13:38:00 EDT 2003


>
> In Greek, the article is regularly dropped from definite
> nouns in the predicate, though Koine is a bit more forgiving
> in retaining them than in Classical Greek.  In John 20:31,
> the article is dropped from IHSOUS but not from hO CRISTOS,
> thus IHSOUS would be the predicate noun.  See, e.g., Smyth
> §§ 1126 ("[The article's] presence is often determined by
> the need of distinguishing subject from predicate") and 1150
> ("A predicate noun has no article, and is thus distinguished
> from the subject."); BDF § 273 ("Predicate nouns as a rule
> are anarthrous" and "proper names are regularly anarthrous
> in the predicate").
>
> If you want to propose an exception to the general rule,
> clear counter-examples would be appreciated.

There is more to BDF § 273 than these brief quotes. After the statement you
quote, § 273 continues: "Nevertheless the article is inserted if the
predicate noun is presented as something well known or as that which alone
merits the designation." He then gives the kind of examples like the ones I
gave where hO CRISTOS is clearly a predicate noun with the article. The
general rule is that it has the article, even as a predicate, and you are
suggesting that John 20:31 should be an exception to the rule. Examples from
§273:
Mt 6:3 OUK hOUTOS ESTIN hO TEKNWN (who is known by this designation)
Mrk 15:2 SU EI hO BASILEUS TWN IOUDAIWN.

Since Messiah is well known and unique in the sense that only one person
merits the designation, we can deduce from BDF § 273 that when CRISTOS is
used as a predicate, it does indeed as a general rule have the article. As
far as John's Gospel is concerned, the fact is that CRISTOS has the article
regardless of whether it is subject or predicate. The only two places where
CHRISTOS occurs without the article are where the text has MESSIAS, followed
by an explanation that this word means "anointed" (CRISTOS).

The second statement you quote (proper names are regularly anarthrous) is in
the exceptions part of the citation from Colwell. Just before your quote, he
says: "definite predicate nouns regularly take the article in sentences in
which the verb appears."

Iver Larsen





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