[B-Greek] Titus 1:6, not in accusation of what?

Jeff Smelser jeffsmelser at ntgreek.net
Fri Sep 2 16:17:44 EDT 2005


Thanks for the comments, Malcom. While your point about the overall 
thrust of Paul's remark is certainly on target, what I'm really 
interested in at this point is the precise significance of EN KATHGORIAi 
(ἐν κατηγορίᾳ). Is it this construction in particular that warrants 
Zerwick's notion of being liable to an accusation as opposed to being 
merely the target of an accusation?

Looking at the uses cited in LSJ (at least those to which I have 
access), I don't find another example of the preposition EN with 
KATHGORIAi. While Zerwick's comment certainly seems to make sense in the 
context of Titus 1:5ff, I'd like to see a more compelling case made than 
the mere fact that it seems unfair to me for a man to be disqualified by 
any accusation at all against his children, with or without merit.

What I'd really like to know is simply if anyone on the list can verify 
that when it is said someone was EN KATHGORIAi of something, did that 
indicate the KATHGORIA had some credibility, that a man who is said to 
be EN KATHGORIAi of something is more clearly indicated to be open to an 
accusation than a man who is merely said to have been the object of a 
KATHGORIA?

To put it another way, we say someone "stands accused" of something. But 
we don't generally say that if the consensus is that the accusation is 
baseless. The expression "stands accused" suggests the verdict remains 
an open question. What I'm wondering is if "EN KATHGORIAi of something" 
carried a similar import.

Jeff Smelser
www.ntgreek.net
www.centrevillechurchofchrist.org




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