[B-Greek] 1Jn 5:3 AUTH ... hINA ...

George F Somsel gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Tue May 30 12:36:34 EDT 2006


Your question reminds me of what I was reading just yesterday from the introduction to Moulton & Milligan.  It states
   
  A corresponding caution must be observed in connexion with the construction of hINA.  Classical Greek has taught us to expect that hINA construed with the subjunctive denotes purpose, but in Hellenistic Greek this has been extended to include a consecutive usage, and sometimes, as in modern Greek, a simple statement of fact.  When, therefore, in Jn 17.3 the Fourth Evangelist writes—AUTH DE ESTIN hH AIWNIOS ZWH hINA GINWSKWSI SE TON MONON ALHQINON QEON KAI hON APESTEILAS IHSOUN XRISTON it is of course possible that by the latter clause he means us to understand our Lord as pointing to the knowledge of God as the aim and end of eternal life.  But it is equally permissible, and more in accord with contemporary usage, to interpret the words as defining the contents of the eternal life:  this life is a life consisting in, and maintained by, the knowledge of God, and of Him whom God had sent. 
   
  george
  gfsomsel
  _________

Oun Kwon <kwonbbl at gmail.com> wrote:
  1Jn 5:3 AUTH GAR ESTIN hH AGAPH TOU QEOU hINA TAS ENTOLAS AUTOU
THRWMEN KAI AI ENTOLAI AUTOU BAREIAI OUK EISIN

1. How I should understand hINA clause? As 'in order that (we may
observe the commandments)'?
2. What does AUTH refer to? To the idea mentioned in the preceding
verse? Or 'The love of God is this, that ~'
3. Does 'ESTIN' copulative have nuance more than 'is'?

Thanks for your help. I hope this is not a beginner's confusion.

Oun Kwon.
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george
gfsomsel
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