[B-Greek] multiple prepositional phrases

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Tue Aug 7 07:44:58 EDT 2007


On Aug 6, 2007, at 7:34 PM, Delbert Flora wrote:

> Eph 1:4a - KAQWS EXELEXATO hHMAS EN AUTWi PRO KATABOLHS KOSMOU...
>
> A. we were chosen
>  1 where we were chosen (in him)

I don't think I'd deem this a matter of "where" so much as a matter  
of "how."

>  2 when we were chosen (before the foundation)
>
> I see statement A. being modified by prepositional phrases 1 and 2.
>
> In such constructs as this, does prepositional phrase 2 have any  
> relationship to prepositional phrase 1?

Inasmuch as I've had my own problems when it comes to discerning the  
logical and syntactical relationships of elements and clauses in the  
opening sequence of Ephesians, I wouldn't want to suggest that the  
author has no conception of a relationship between the two  
prepositional phrases. But in terms of standard syntax, I'd say that  
the two prepositional phrases about which you ask here are both  
adverbial modifiers of the verb EXELEXATO. You might compare English  
sentences such as:

  "He came here yesterday" -- "here" tells us WHERE he came,  
"yesterday" tells us WHEN he came; both relate to "he came" and the  
adverbs don't relate to each other EXCEPT through the verb.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)





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