[B-Greek] TINI LOGWi - I Cor. 15:2

Steven Lo Vullo themelios at charter.net
Sat Dec 18 19:16:53 EST 2004


On Dec 13, 2004, at 11:00 AM, Eric Weiss wrote:

> I Corinthians 15:
> 1. GNWRIZW DE hUMIN, ADELFOI,
> TO EUAGGELION hO EUHGGELISAMHN hUMIN,
> hO KAI PARELABETE,
> EH hW KAI hESTHKATE,
> 2. DI' hOU KAI SWiZESQE,
> TINI LOGWi EUHGGELISAMHN hUMIN EI KATECETE,
> EKTOS EI MH EIKHi EPISTEUSATE.
>
> I've looked at BDAG and BDF and Robertson (Greek
> Grammar/Historical Research) and Perschbacher's
> NT Greek Syntax, and am still having a bit of trouble
> understanding how best to translate TINI LOGWi and
> how it functions here. TINI usually means "(by/with)
> what/whom?" and the grammars mention its use for
> an "indirect question." Yet others suggest that here it
> functions as a relative pronoun, which is how I and
> most translations understand it. I think Robertson says
> that it should not be taken as subordinate to EI
> KATECETE, but I'm not sure I understand what he means
> by that. Zerwick says it's an "indirect interrogative," but
> if so, how do you translate it so it has the sense of being
> a question?

I think English translations smooth over the difficulty here. With what 
do we construe TINI LOGWi EUHGGELISAMHN? Does it relate to TO 
EUAGGELION in v. 1, as do the relative clauses in vv. 1-2, or does it 
complement  or modify KATECETE in the conditional clause in v. 2? Both 
seem doubtful to me. On the one hand, when KATECETE means to "hold 
fast" traditions, convictions, or beliefs, it seems to me that it 
should take an accusative, as in 1 Cor 15.2 and 1 Th 5.21. Not to 
mention the awkwardness of it preceding EI. On the other hand, it 
doesn't make sense as a relative clause. Then we have TO EUAGGELION ... 
TINI LOGWi EUHGGELISAMHN ("the gospel .... by which we preached to 
you"). Not to mention that it would create a redundancy (see hO 
EUHGGELISAMHN in v. 1). However we look at it, it seems awkward. I 
think it is possible that it either modifies SWiZESQE or is 
interjectory, emphasizing and clarifying exactly by what the 
Corinthians are saved.

If we understand TINI as interrogative, it is not necessary to 
translate it as a question. The question could conceivably be implied.
============

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI




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