[B-Greek] MATTHEW 28:19
George F Somsel
gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Thu Dec 7 15:50:40 EST 2006
POREUQENTES OUN MAQHTEUSATE PANTA TA EQNH, BAPTIZONTES AUTOUS EIS TO ONOMA TOU PATROS KAI TOU hUIOU KAI TOU hAGIOU PNEUMATOS
Prepositions are a prime example of the adage
Things are not always as they seem,
Skim milk oft masquerades as cream.
Dan Wallace in his _Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics_ gives a chart listing the frequency of the prepositions. EN is handily the most used, but EIS comes 2nd even if it is a somewhat distant 2nd. When any word is used frequently it develops different nuances, i.e. it won't always be used in the same way. You cannot insist on EIS being always and everywhere "into." Here are some of the uses Wallace notes for EIS
A. Basic Uses (with Accusative only)
1. Spatial: into, toward, in
2. Temporal: for, throughout
3. Purpose: for, in order to, to
4. Result: so that, with the result that
5. Reference/Respect: with respect to, with reference to
6. Advantage: for
7. Disadvantage: against
8. In the place of ἐν (with its various nuances)
Daniel B. Wallace. (1999; 2002). Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics - Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (369). Zondervan Publishing House and Galaxie Software.
I used this example only recently on this list so I hope those who have read it will bear with the repetition.
IDWN DE TOUS OXLOUS ANEBH EIS TO OROS
Note that OROS is singular so we are not speaking of going "into / among the mountains." This mountain was most likely little more than what we would call a hill since OROS can signify any high place. Was Jesus supposedly going "into" the mountain? This seems rather unlikely. More likely is that he went "upon" the hill since he then proceded to teach.
In your pursuit to understand the meaning of these texts don't fall into the trap of thinking that every instance of X must be translated as Y. Context is the determining factor.
george
gfsomsel
_________
----- Original Message ----
From: Bill Yates <bill.yates at tesco.net>
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2006 3:28:17 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] MATTHEW 28:19
I have just subscribed to B-Greek so apologies if this query is misdirected. I couldn't find any link to a Discussion Forum.
Matt 28:19 has the phrase, "baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
My query concerns the Greek phrase in the Greek NT, 'EIS TO ONOMA'
This clearly means 'into the name....' However, I can find no English translation of the Bible which uses this translation: they all state 'IN the name'
I can find no rationale for this as 'EV TW ONOMATI' would be what I would expect to see. Is it, perhaps, because the Vulgate translates the phrase as 'in nomine Patris' and this has just been repeated in all the English translations?
My query is based on the fact that the two English versions seem fundamentally different. In the name of suggests 'with the authority of' as, for example, 'I command you in the name of the President of the United States'.
Into, however, seems to suggests baptizing INTO the family of the Trinity. In the same way as a bridegroom invites his bride into the name of his family when they marry.
So the query has two parts, really. Why is a fairly straightforward Greek phrase been so consistently translated 'incorrectly' into English? I understand that translation requires some degree of flexibility when a literal translation would not correctly portray the English meaning - but this does not seem to apply here.
The second part is the theological importance of the differences in the translation given in English Bibles.
Yours sincerely
Bill Yates
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