[B-Greek] word order in Mt 7:12
Steve Runge
srunge at logos.com
Mon Aug 20 13:12:55 EDT 2007
Oun,
I would add a couple comments to what Carl has already noted.
????? ??? ??? ??? ?????? ???
??????? ???? ?? ????????, ?????
??? ????? ??????? ??????
PANTA OUN hOSA EAN QELHTE hINA POIWSIN hUMIN hOI ANQRWPOI, hOUTWS KAI hUMEIS POIEITE AUTOIS.
Regarding Greek being VSO, one needs to add the proviso that independent pronouns tend to be placed immediately following the verb, as is the case with hUMIN.
One other point I want to make concerns the role of hOUTWS. Although this word is an adverb, it has pronominal qualities that allow it to stand in the place of a previously mentioned action. The result is something like a pronominal adverb of manner. The construction ????? ??? ???... in Mt 7:12 brings about the activation of a brand new topic, and the reiteration using hOUTWS accomplishes two things:
--it signals the end of the complex topic so that the reader knows the main clause proper is beginning,
--it adds a bit of extra zing to the new topic (prominence).
Another example of this use of hOUTWS is Matthew 12:40, but is it much more clearly adverbial than 7:12.
One finds cases in Matthew where a similar subjunctive relative clause is used to activate a topic, but where hOUTWS is not used to reiterate it in Mt. 18:18 (2x); 21:22; and 23:3. This would tend to indicate that the use of hOUTWS is not required.
One finds other redundant pronominal elements used to reiterate the content of a fronted subordinate clause (most frequently the demonstrative hOUTOS) that are comparable to the use of hOUTWS in Mt. 7:12, e.g. Mt. 6:21; 10:22; 13:19, 20, 22, 38; 21:42; 24:28.
For a resumption using an emphatic pronoun to mark the initial subordinate clause as focal, cf. Mt. 12:50; 15:11; 18:20; 24:13; 26:23; 26:48.
For a temporal frame of reference that is established in a fronted subordinate clause that is then redundantly reiterated using TOTE, cf. Mt. 13:26; 21:1; 24:15-16; 25:31).
Returning to Mt 7:12 and looking at clause as a whole, we find an emphatic pronoun hUMEIS, highlighted even more by the addition of an ascensive KAI, used to switch from 'the men' to the hearers (hUMEIS). The KAI is telling us to add 'you' to 'the men' (i.e. 'as they did, YOU ALSO do'). This means that the English 'also' should be associated with the subject and not the verb. NKJV reads 'do also to them'. This places the emphasis on the action. In Greek, I would argue that the emphasis is on the subject doing the action.
By activating the topic using PANTA OUN hOSA EAN QELHTE hINA POIWSIN hUMIN hOI ANQRWPOI, and reiterating it using hOUTWS, Jesus establishes that the hearers are wishing that others would do what the hearers want. The use of hOUTWS highlights the topic, and then makes the point that the HEARERS ALSO are to do the same for others.
As far as a translation, I did not find one that captured each of these elements. Most smooth at least one element over. I would propose something like this:
Therefore, whatever (perhaps 'however'?) you would want that men would do for (perhaps 'treat'?) you, thus/similarly YOU ALSO do for them.
The point is for us to stop waiting for others to do what we would want, and to take the initiative to treat them in this way. This idea is conveyed by most translations, but without nearly the same punch as in Greek.
Steven Runge, DLitt (Biblical Languages)
Scholar-in-Residence
Logos Research Systems, Inc.
http://www.logos.com/academic/bio/runge
-----Original Message-----
From: b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Oun Kwon
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 8:47 PM
To: greek B-Greek
Subject: [B-Greek] word order in Mt 7:12
A clause in Mt 7:12
hINA POIWSIN hMIN hOI ANQRWPOI
Please kindly refresh about Gk word order for me. I understand normally it is V+S+O in Gk.
Is the dative (hMIN) considered as Object, which is placed before Subject (nominative hOI ANQRWPOI) (to be emphatic)?
Thank you.
Oun Kwon.
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