[B-Greek] Hebrews 13:4

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at ioa.com
Tue Nov 29 11:20:10 EST 2005


On Nov 29, 2005, at 11:07 AM, Diana L Hayes wrote:

> Dear B-Greeks,
>   I was wondering if there is anyway that the first part of Hebrews  
> 13:4
> could be translated as a command, meaning "Honor marriage among  
> all..".
> I do not think that it can, because TIMIOS is an adjective; that it
> really should be translated as describing marriage, stating a fact  
> also
> because it is in the indicative form.  Just want to make sure I am not
> missing anything.  Thank you for all your help, in advance.

I think it very likely IS an imperative given the context:

Heb 13:1 hH FILADELFIA MENETW. 2 THS FILOXENIAS MH EPILANQANESQE, DIA  
TAUTHS GAR ELAQON TINES XENISANTES AGGELOUS. 3 MIMNHSKESQE TWN  
DESMIWN hWS SUNDEDEMENOI, TWN KAKOUXOUMENWN hWS KAI AUTOI ONTES EN  
SWMATI. 4 TIMIOS hO GAMOS EN PASIN KAI hH KOINTH AMIANTOS, PORNOUS  
GAR KAI MOICOUS KRINEI hO QEOS. ... 13:7 MNHMONEUETE TWN hHGOUMENWN  
hUMWN, hOITINES ELALHSAN hUMIN TON LOGON TU QEOU ...

Since the context is one of moral parenesis with instructions being  
given in imperatives (MENETW, MH EPILANQANESQE, MIMNHSKESQE ...  
MNHMONEUETE ...), in several instances the imperatives being followed  
by rationales, I think we probably should understand an elliptical  
ESTW with verse 4, so that it will read:

	4 TIMIOS (ESTW) hO GAMOS EN PASIN KAI hH KOINTH (ESTW) AMIANTOS,  
PORNOUS GAR ...

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




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