[B-Greek] Eph 1:4 EN AUTW
Brian Abasciano
bvabasciano at gmail.com
Tue Aug 8 11:08:40 EDT 2006
Dear Andrew,
I would classify EN AUTW as both instrumental and as a locative of place or sphere. Christ is the insturment through which we are chosen and pictured as the sphere in which we are blessed and chosen. I regard the latter as more basic in this text and to imply the former. Several recent commentators take the governing "in Christ" reference this way in vs 3, usually speaking of "in Christ" as carrying both incorporative and instrumental significance (see O'Brien; Hoehner; Lincoln). It is only natural to take EN AUTW of v. 4 in the same way, meaning that believers are chosen as a consequence of their union with Christ.
I think you pose false distinctions in your 3 options. Prepositions typically modify verbs, but do not have to. So it is most natural to take EN AUTW with "He chose", but the timing of that choice is being located before the foundation of the world. And as George mentioned, your final option indicates the purpose of this election. So 1 on your list is grammatically what EN AUTW attaches to, but it is integrated into the whole idea that is stated.
Brian Abasciano
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I'm only just now starting to learn biblical greek on my own, so forgive
me if the answer to this is obvious.
Ephesians 1:4 seems to be frequently translated (in part) as something
like "...He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we
would be holy and blameless..."
I'm confused as to the usage of "in Him" here. I could see it being
attached to three different possible concepts:
* He chose us in Him
* in Him before the foundation of the world
* that we would be (in Him) holy and blameless
The second I'll discard, because that just doesn't seem to mesh with the
rest of the bible. The third makes sense to me, but only if "before the
foundation of the world" is a parenthetical statement. The first is
probably the most likely, but I really don't understand what it means
for Him to choose us in Him.
Can someone help me understand the meaning?
Thanks,
Andrew
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