[B-Greek] ecbatic hINA

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Wed Oct 29 19:31:49 EST 2003


At 6:49 PM -0500 10/29/03, B. M. Rocine wrote:
>Learned b-greekers,
>
>Reading a 19th century theology book recently, I came across a term that I
>had not encountered before, "ecbatic hINA."  I think E. Robinson coined the
>designation in 1836 in his _Greek Lexicon of the NT_, and it was
>subsequently used in 1866 in E. Masson's translation of _Winer's Grammar of
>NT_.  The Oxford English Dictionary says it means: "Of a clause or a
>conjuntion (sic): Denoting a mere result or consequence, as distinguished
>from a purpose or intention."  Is this still an accepted distinction among
>hINA's?  If so, can you give me any examples when hINA is clearly ecbatic?

I wasn't familiar with the term, but the function is certainly present in
the GNT and is part and parcel of the Hellenistic Koine's fusion of
constructions of purpose and result whether with hWSTE + infinitive or with
hINA + subjunctive. Checking BDAG, however, I find the term right there:

BDAG (s.v. hINA):
	3. marker serving as substitute for the inf. of result, so that
('ecbatic' or consecutive use of hINA: B-D-F §391, 5; Mlt. 206-9; Rob.
997-99 and in SCase, Studies in Early Christianity [Porter-Bacon Festschr.]
1928, 51-57; EBlakeney, ET 53, '41/42, 377f, indicating that the result is
considered probable, but not actual. But this distinction is not always
strictly observed. Cp. Epict. 1, 24, 3; 25, 15; 27, 8 al.; 2, 2, 16 hOUTW
MWROS HN, hINA MH IDHi Ø; Vett. Val. 185, 31; 186, 17; 292, 20; Jos., Bell.
6, 107; Just., D. 112, 5; PLond III, 964, 13 p. 212 [II/III AD]. Many exx.
in AJannaris, An Historical Greek Grammar 1897 §1758 and 1951) HN
PARAKEKALUMMENON AP' AUTWN hINA MH AISQWNTAI AUTO/ it was concealed from
them, so that they might not comprehend it Lk 9:45. TIS hHMARTEN, hINA
TUFLOS GENNHQHi? Who sinned, so that he was born blind? J 9:2. Cp. 2 Cor
1:17; Gal 5:17; 1 Th 5:4; 1J 1:9; Rv 9:20; 13:13; Hs 7:2; 9, 1, 10.-In many
cases purpose and result cannot be clearly differentiated, and hence hINA
is used for the result that follows according to the purpose of the subj.
or of God. As in Semitic and Gr-Rom. thought, purpose and result are
identical in declarations of the divine will (Ps.-Callisth. 2, 16, 10 the
rule of the Persian king is being overthrown by the deity iºna DAREIOS ...
FUGAS GENOMENOS K.T.L. Here hINA means both 'in order that' and 'so that'):
Lk 11:50; J 4:36; 12:40; 19:28; Ro 3:19; 5:20; 7:13; 8:17; 11:31f al.
(ESutcliffe, Effect or Purpose, Biblica 35, '54, 320-27). The formula iºna
plhrwqhvØ is so to be understood, since the fulfillment is acc. to God's
plan of salvation: Mt 1:22; 2:15; 4:14; 12:17; 21:4; 26:56; J 12:38; 17:12;
19:24, 36.-The hINA of Mk 4:12=Lk 8:10, so much in dispute, is prob. to be
taken as final (w. AvVeldhuizen, NTS 8, 1925, 129-33; 10, 1927, 42-44;
HWindisch, ZNW 26, 1927, 203-9; JGnilka, Die Verstockung Israels '61,
45-48; B-D-F §369, 2 [here, and B-D-R p. 386f n. 2, the lit. on 'causal'
hINA, which is allowed at least for Rv 22:14 and perh. 14:13, where P47 has
hOTI; see 2g]. S. also FLaCava, Scuola Cattol. 65, '37, 301-4; MBlack, An
Aramaic Approach3, '67, 211-16; ISluiter, Causal iºna, Sound Greek: Glotta
70, '92, 39-53. On J 12:7 s. THREW 2a).


-- 

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/



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