[B-Greek] 1 Cor 2:7

Gary S. Shogren gshogren at racsa.co.cr
Mon Mar 7 19:19:50 EST 2005


At 05:59 PM 3/7/2005, Gary S. Shogren wrote:
> >Dear List,
> >
> >I am trying to understand how EN MUSTHRIWi is used in 1 Cor 2:7. the
> >verse reads as: ALLA LALOUMEN QEOU SOFIAN EN MUSTHRIWi THN
> >APOKEKRUMMENHN hHN PROWRISEV hO QEOS PRO TWN AIWNWN EIS DOZA hHMWN.
> >
> >Since MUSTHRIWi is in the dative case, how would it be understood from a
> >grammatical perspective? The English translations vary in how they
> >handle it.
> >
> >NASB: but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which
> >God predestined before the ages to our glory;
> >     I understand this to mean God's wisdom was spoken in the form of a
> >mystery.
> >
> >NRSV: But we speak God's wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed
> >before the ages for our glory.
> >     Here the God's wisdom was secret and hidden but now it is not. Could
> >this be a doublet?
> >
> >NET: Instead we speak the wisdom of God, hidden in a mystery, that God
> >determined before the ages for out glory.
> >     Same meaning as NRSV.
> >
> >NIV:  No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden
> >and that God destined for our glory before time began.
> >     Same meaning as NRSV.
> >
> >
> >So without going in to the theological implications, how is the best way
> >to understand the Greek in this verse?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >Mont Cessna, Sr.
>
>Mont,
>
>EN with the dative can be locative of instrumental. Here I would say
>that it is instrumental, "by means of a mystery." Paul finds this
>device useful to explain the unexpected turns in the experiences of
>the church.
>The preceding verse as well as the following verse present the
>contrast between the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God.


Gary Shogren:
How is this:
1. we have a perfect participle APOKEKRUMMENHN modifying SOFIAN, but then 
with EN MUSTHRIWi embedded in the middle; might it denote the location of 
the "hiding"?
2. plus the "hiddenness" is over and done with, now that the revelation has 
been given in the cross (2:1-2) and through the Spirit (2:10)

Doesn't this lead to a locative idea of EN + dative, something like: "But 
we speak of God's mystery, which had been concealed in a mystery..."

In the parallels:
Rom. 16:25-26  - APOKALYPSIN MUSTHRIOU (revelation of the mystery, a pretty 
straightforward objective genitive)
Col 1:26 TO MUSTHRION TO APEKRUMMENON
Eph 3:4 THN SUNESIN MOU EN TWi MUSTHRIWi TOU CRISTOU - like 1 Cor. 2:7?

An excellent passage for Greek and (not on this list!) theology.


Gary S. Shogren
Universidad Cristiana Internacional ESEPA
San José, Costa Rica 





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