[B-Greek] Heb. 10:22 -- Perf. Pass. Ptcs & Accusatives

CWestf5155 at aol.com CWestf5155 at aol.com
Wed May 19 12:50:26 EDT 2004


In a message dated 5/19/2004 8:02:54 AM Mountain Standard Time, 
mitchlarramore at yahoo.com writes:
I'll stay in over my head to ask another question. Can
it be concluded that the MP form abstains from calling
our attention to the subjects and agents but rather
draws our attention to the actions/consequences of
prior decisions? The focus is on the acts
(consequences of decisions) not the actors (who makes
the decisions). And then, if this is the case, asking
the question "WHO DID what" is not a bonafide semantic
question with the MP form. The question the MP form
answers semantically is only "WHAT HAPPENED to whom." 

Mitch,

That mostly sounds good to me, or perhaps "TO WHOM it happened", at least in 
this phrase.  In this string of hortatory subjunctives, the topic has to do 
with believers, whereas in chs. 7-10 Jesus is the topic in a series of contrasts 
with cultic practices and priests.  However, even within this same "periodic 
sentence", Jesus is explicitly the agent of access: EN TW hAIMATI IHSOU; 
EVEKAINISEN hHMIN hODON...; [EXONTES] hIEREA MEGAN. Therefore, you can't really say 
that the author abstains from drawing attention to the agent of the 
cleansing--though you have to read to preceding chs. to understand the connection of 
this language with this language.  What you can say is that the author makes it 
clear that he is talking about believers now, and the information on Jesus 
supports the topic.

Cindy Westfall
Adjunct Faculty Denver Seminary



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