[B-Greek] imperfect EPREPEN aorist accusative participle AGAGONTAaorist infinitive TELEIWSAI Hebrews 2:10

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Sun Jun 6 11:16:15 EDT 2004


> I am trying to get the most grammatically correct interpretation
> of the
> combination of the imperfect EPREPEN, the aorist accusative participle
> AGAGONTA and aorist infinitive TELEIWSAI as in the context of
> Hebrews 2:10.
<snip>
> What I have done in the my analysis is taken the past continuous
> time of the
> imperfect EPREPEN and added this to the aorist participle AGAGONTA. In
> addition, I have taken the stance that the whole phrase POLLOUS hUIOUS EIS
> DOXAN AGAGONTA is objective and "absolute" grammatically from what follows
> but connected to it semantically in answering "what was fitting" at the
> beginning of the verse.
<snip>
>
> 2:10 EPREPEN GAR AUTWi, DI  hON TA PANTA KAI Di  hOU TA PANTA,
> For it was fitting to Him, on account of Whom are all things and through
> Whom are all things,
> POLLOUS hUIOUS EIS DOXAN AGAGONTA
> while having brought many sons into glory,
> TON ARCHGON THS SWTHRIAS AUTWN DIA PAQHMATWN TELEIWSAI.
> to make perfect the Prince of their deliverance by means of sufferings.
>
> Regards,
> Eddie Van Gent
> New Zealand

Well, I would start from the back. The object for TELEIWSAI is TON ARCHGON
THS SWTHRIAS AUTWN - the procurer of their salvation, i.e. Jesus. This means
that God needs to be the agent - AUTWi.
The imperfective tense is common for a general, descriptive background
comment, notice the GAR - God considered it to be right/fitting. In
addition, the word PREPW naturally occurs in the present or imperfect tense.
I don't know if it ever occurs in the aorist, at least it does not do so in
the GNT.  The aorist TELEIWSAI just means that this event is seen as having
been completed.
What did God consider to be fitting/right/necessary? That Jesus should be
brought through to the goal - TELEIWSAI - of procuring salvation for people
through the way of suffering. Why was that fitting/necessary? The author
does not say here, but he elaborates on it elsewhere in this treatise so
full of sacrificial concepts.
What was the result of Jesus going through suffering to reach the goal? He
had thereby established the basis for many people to come into the glory it
is to become children of God. So, I would connect the accusative participle
to TON ARCHGON which means that Jesus is the one who has brought many people
into glory.

Iver Larsen




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