[B-Greek] Ephesians 4:18

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Mon Jun 20 14:33:58 EDT 2005


On Jun 20, 2005, at 1:54 PM, David Bielby wrote:

> Dear Big Greeks,
>
>
>
> I have some basic questions on one of the verses I'm exegeting this  
> week and
> would appreciate input on them.  Thank you!!!
>
>
>
> GNT Ephesians 4:18a
>
> ESKOTWMENOI TH DIANOIA ONTES, APHLLOTRIWMENOI THS ZWHS TOU QEOU DIA  
> THN
> AGNOIAN THN OUSAN EN AUTOIS
>
>
>
>
> I have a few questions on this verse.  DIANOIA is said to be a  
> Dative of
> Respect in Zerwick's Biblical Illustrations (pg 19 illustration  
> 53). Can
> anyone explain to me how does the 'dative of respect' function?  Is  
> it a
> just a normal accusative in function?  What options does that imply in
> translating this?

Actually there's not much difference between THN DIANOIAN and THi  
DIANOIAi; both expressions answer the question "in what respect" or  
"how?" to qualify ESKTWMENOI: "in the dark in what way?" or "do you  
mean physically or literally in the dark?"

> Second question:  ESKOTWMENOI in this verse is usually translated 'Are
> Darkened'.at least in several major translations like the ESV (to  
> pick one).
> Before I saw that I would have translated it
>
> 'they have been darkened' because it's passive in form....can someone
> explain to me why it's not translated that way?

Note that the construction is with the participle ONTES, so that this  
is a periphrastic perfect participle; note also that ESKOTWMENOI  
really refers more to a condition or state that the Gentiles are in:  
4.17 says "they walk in futility of their insight"; then 4:18 expands  
that: "since they are in the dark (ONTES ESKOTWMENOI) so far as their  
reasoning is concerned (THi DIANOIAi). It is NOT really passive: it's  
a middle participle indicating a state--just as "drunk" is if we  
should say in English, "Those fellows are drunk": technically  
speaking "drunk" is a passive participle but in this usage it's  
adjectival and indicates a state of drunkenness.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at ioa.com or cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/




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