[B-Greek] Romans 8.28, PANTA SUNERGEI
George F Somsel
gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Thu Dec 6 17:58:02 EST 2007
In the critical text τὸν θεὸν [TON QEON] is the acc object of ἀγαπῶσιν [AGAPWSIN]. Your alternative involves a textual critical judgment that ὁ θεός [hO QEOS] should be added to the text regarding which Metzger notes
Although the reading συνεργεῖ ὁ θεός [SUNERGEI hO QEOS] (P A B 81 cop (eth) Origen2/5) is both ancient and noteworthy, a majority of the Committee deemed it too narrowly supported to be admitted into the text, particularly in view of the diversified support for the shorter reading (א C D G K P Ψ 33 614 1739 Byz Lect it, , vg syr, cop arm Clement Origen3/5, Eusebius Lucifer Cyril-Jerusalem Chrysostom Augustine al). Since συνεργεῖ [SUNERGEI] may be taken to imply a personal subject, ὁ θεός [hO QEOS] seems to have been a natural explanatory addition made by an Alexandrian editor.
Metzger, B. M., & United Bible Societies. (1994). A textual commentary on the Greek New Testament, second edition a companion volume to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (4th rev. ed.) (458). London; New York: United Bible Societies.
That the neut pl would be used with a sg verb is fairly common in Koine. Note the final sentence here.
Syntax. There is in general an absence of many Attic refinements. Simplicity is much more in evidence. This is seen in the shorter sentences and the paratactic constructions rather than the more complex hypotactic idioms. The sparing use of particles is noticeable. There is no effort at rhetorical embellishment. What is called “Asianism” is the bombastic rhetoric of the artificial orators. Atticism aims to reproduce the classic idiom. The vernacular κοινή is utterly free from this vice of Asianism and Atticism. Thackeray (op. cit., p. 23) notes that “in the breach of the rules of concord is seen the widest deviation from classical orthodoxy.” This varies a great deal in different writers as the papyri amply testify. The nominativus pendens is much in evidence. The variations in case, gender and number of substantives, adjectives and verbs are frequent κατὰ σύνεσιν. The neuter plural is used with either a singular or plural verb.
The comparative does duty often for the superlative adjective.
Robertson, A. (1919; 2006). A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (73). Logos.
The text is perfectly comprehensible as the critical text has it.
george
gfsomsel
Therefore, O faithful Christian, search for truth, hear truth,
learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth,
defend the truth till death.
- Jan Hus
_________
----- Original Message ----
From: Andrew Porter <app at jedp.com>
To: app at jedp.com; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Thursday, December 6, 2007 4:42:17 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Romans 8.28, PANTA SUNERGEI
In the UBS 3rd ed.,
Romans 8.28 has
PANTA SUNERGEI EIS AGAQON,
Sinaiticus, C, and D
PANTA SUNERGEI hO QEOS EIS AGAQON ...,
p46, Vaticanus, and Alexandrinus;
-- they give it a C reading,
i.e., not much confidence in the shorter reading
The question: what to do with the <PANTA>, presumably neuter plural, nom/acc,
together with SUNERGEI, presumably 3rd pers. singular, present indicative?
The subject of SUNERGEI is
(implicit) hO QEOS (aleph, C, D),
explicit hO QEOS (p46, A, B),
or a non-agreeing-in-number PANTA?
Can SUNERGEI take an object (in the accusative),
here PANTA, in addition to the usual object (in the dative),
the beneficiaries (here TOIS AGAPWSIN TON QEON) of the working-together?
As in
he works all things together for those who love him?
-- odd in English, and colloquial, but quite clear?
All three possibilities appear in translations:
Jerusalem Bible:
``by turning everthing to their good
God co-operates with all those who love him,''
The King James has
``all things work together for good to them that love God.''
RSV has
``in everything God works for good with those who love him''
Is this koine usage, where Attic Greek would be fussier?
Does the Greek compel the choice among translations,
or is the translator at liberty to choose?
- Andrew Porter, app at jedp.com
Livermore, CA
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