[B-Greek] 1 Thes.1:3

Iver Larsen ialarsen at multitechweb.com
Fri Nov 5 11:13:27 EST 2004


>
> Dear B-Greekers,
> I'm wondering about the expression EMPROSQEN TOU QEOU KAI PATROS hHMWN
> in 1 Thes.1:3:
>
> MNHMONEUONTES hUMWN  TOU ERGOU THS PISTEWS KAI TOU KOPOU THS AGAPHS KAI
> THS hUPOMONHS THS ELPIDOS TOU KURIOU hHMWN IHSOU XRISTOU EMPROSQEN TOU
> QEOU KAI PATROS hHMWN
>
> Though several translations (including NET) make the phrase go with
> MNHMONEUONTES, this seems to me a little tenuous because it is so far
> removed by other words in the sentence.   [The note in NET does allow
> for the possibility that the phrase goes with TOU KURIOU hHMWN IHSOU
> XRISTOU.]    It seems more natural to me that both final phrases go with
> ELPIDOS, making it a hope that waits for the coming of Jesus, at which
> time we will stand before God in judgment.  Interestingly, EMPROSQEN
> occurs three more times in 1 Thes., at least two of which pertain to the
> Lord's coming and judgment (2:19 and 3:13); perhaps 3:9 is not as clear.

Is there any translation that does not take that phrase with MNHMONEUONTES?

You may compare the related idea in Acts 10:4
hAI PROSEUCAI SOU...ANEBHSAN EIS MNHMOSUNON EMPROSQEN TOU QEOU

Prayers are seen as rising up as a memorial offer before the throne of God.
Paul is seeing himself praying as he stands before God. In 1 Thess 3:9, he
is also standing mentally before God thanking and rejoicing. The same
offering of prayers before God is found in Rev 8:3 as George mentioned.

When we look at which words go together, it is not the distance that is
crucial, but the syntactical structure and semantic relationships.

MNHMONEUONTES has three parallel objects in genitive: TOU ERGOU, TOU KOPOU,
THS hUPOMONHS. Paul commends them for their faithful devotion to God, their
hard labour of love for Him and their endurance based on their hope. Because
the three objects are coordinated by KAI, the structure is fairly simple and
the length is insignificant. It can be understood as one complex object.

It is therefore much more natural to take the last phrase with MNHMONEUONTES
than with ELPIDOS. You may find it helpful to make your own meaningful
translation in ordinary English. That quite often decides the issue.

Iver Larsen




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