[B-Greek] EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS
George F. Somsel
gfsomsel at juno.com
Mon Jun 7 22:46:13 EDT 2004
Virgil,
EPI + Dat. according to BAGD is used, among other purposes, to show
1. The person or thing because of which something exists
2. O purpose, goal or result.
Take your pick.
gfsomsel
_________
On Mon, 7 Jun 2004 20:11:26 -0600 "virgil newkirk"
<virgilsalvage1 at msn.com> writes:
> Dear B-Greekers,
>
> What first comes to mind when you are confronted by the phrase or
> term--Good
> Works ? Be honest and remember what the first impression was that
> came to
> mind. You will need it later in the matter I would like to present.
> Was it
> not something we might perform ? I know that is the first thing that
> I think
> of..
>
>
>
> What follows is something that I never had considered until a few
> weeks ago
> after having looked closely at the Greek of Ephesians 2:10
>
>
> Recently, in a small group setting we were asked to memorize some
> verses.
> Among them was Ephesians 2:10. Here are what a few translations
> offer for
> Eph 2:10b:
>
> KJV: created in Christ Jesus "unto" good works
> NIV: created in Christ Jesus "to do" good works
> NLT: created in Christ Jesus "so that we can do" the good things"
> NASB: created in Christ Jesus "for" good works
>
>
> Ephesians 2:10 reads:
>
> AUTOU GAR ESMEN POIHMA KTISQENTES EN CRISTWi IHSOU EPI ERGOIS
> AGAQOIS OIS
> PROHTOIMASEN hO QEOS hINA EN AUTOIS PERIPATHSWMEN
>
> When I looked at this verse in the Greek I was surprised and taken
> back by
> the use of EPI preceeding ERGOIS AGAQOIS. Virtually all English
> translations
> represent this phrase as unto or for or even (NIV) as an
> infinitive.."to do"
> good works. Quite frankly, I said to myself...what's EPI doing there
> and how
> could anyone translate the preposition EPI as "to do"..or even
> "unto" ? One
> of which is verbal...the other inferring direction towards.
>
>
> This contemplation led to the following conclusion on my part and
> that that
> conclusion is demanded by the Greek. Am I mistaken and if you think
> so
> ..why ?
>
> ERGOIS AGAQOIS here, is not related to good works that we may or
> may not
> perform, but, in fact, to the good works accomplished in and by
> Christ and
> that these good works and their results are the "basis" of our
> KTISQENTES EN
> CHRISWi IHSOU; EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS ! I believe this impression is
> required by
> the Greek because:
>
> EPI+Dative according to BDAG is a marker of presence or occurrence
> near an
> object or area, at, near--b. with Dative, of immediate proximity at,
> near,
> or by. 6./ Marker of basis for a state of being, action, or result,
> on. With
> Dative.
>
>
> Now, this would require a rendering such as:
>
> " We are ones having been established (founded) in Christ
> Jesus.."on" "on
> the basis of" good works "
>
> Everything that is anything that is founded, that is, established;
> is
> founded or established first "on" or "on the basis of" something. Is
> it not
> ? The same is being described here by the Greek, I believe. Our,
> that is,
> we--have been KTISQENTES EN CHRISTWi IHSOU...on what basis ?
> On....what ?
> EPI ERGOIS AGAQOIS.
>
> It would be easy to come up with a list of these "good works" that
> have been
> done and that in fact, the rest of verse 10 states that it is God
> who before
> prepared them that we should walk in them.
>
> Just a few.. In cooperation and working (producing)ERGAZOMENOS with
> His
> Father he has brought about the Lamb of God. The Vine. The Bread of
> Life.
> The Cleansing Blood. Which issues into the Saving Life. The Church.
> The
> Revelation. All of which meet the qualifications of having been
> before
> prepared by God beforehand and naturally containing the requirement
> that we
> walk in them. After all, without Him; we can do "nothing".
>
> Among the many things that show that Paul is in these verses
> describing our
> position and condition in Christ is verse 11 which is part of the
> immediate
> context and is a further description of what we were and what we are
> now.
> Drawing attention to what it is that we "must" realize concerning
> our being
> in Christ. Not necessarily (at this point) to be concerned with what
> we must
> be "doing"--which I would like to suggest again; is not being said
> in the
> Greek of Ephesians 2:10b.
>
> Are there any arguments from a different perspective that can cancel
> out
> this conclusion of mine ? If there are and they are so...I would
> hope I
> would want to know and believe that very thing.
>
>
> One other matter that is key in this verse and that everything turns
>
> on....GAR. Whatever follows is an extension and expansion of what is
>
> contained in verse 9 at least. Yes ?
>
>
> Virgil Newkirk
> Salt Lake City, Utah
> ---
> B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek
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>
>
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