[B-Greek] Jn 17:3 Gk syntax
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Sat Jan 13 04:37:56 EST 2007
On Jan 12, 2007, at 10:57 PM, Oun Kwon wrote:
> Jn 17:3
> hAUTH DE ESTIN hH AIWNIOS ZWH
> hINA GINWSKWOSIN SE TON MONON ALHQINON QEON KAY hON APESTEILAS SOUN
> CRISTON
The transcription is flubbed: it should be (for the hINA clause):
hINA GINWSKWSIN SE TON MONON ALHQINON QEON KAI hON APESTEILAS IHSOUN
CRISTON
> Similar syntax is seen in
>
> 3:19 hAUTH DE ESTIN hH KRISIS
> hOTI TO FWS ELHLUQEN EIS TON KOSMON ...
>
> 15:12 hAUTH ESTIN hH ENTOLH hH EMH
> hINA AFAPAHE ARRDROUN KAQMN HGAPHSA hUMAS ...
The transcription is flubbed; it should be (for the hINA clause):
hINA AGAPATE ALLHLOUS KAQWS HGAPHSA hUMAS.
> These last two uses hAUTH to introduce an explanation in the following
> hINA or hOTI clause.
>
> However, in the case of 17:3, if it is understood in the same way (as
> most translations do), eternal life = knowing, it is difficult to
> conceive 'life' = 'knowledge' conceptually.
> Is it possible to take hINA for purpose ('in order to') and hAUTH to
> refer to the eternal life which was mentioned in the preceding verse?
>
> 17:2 b hINA PAN hO DEDWKAS AUTWi
> DWSHi AUTOIS ZWHN AIWNION.
>
> Then, the verse 17:3 can be understood as:
>
> "And this [life they receive] is the eternal life,
> so-that they may know you – the only true God –
> and (even) the One whom you sent forth – that is, Jesus Christ."
>
> I would appreciate if you can guide me in a right direction.
In earlier Greek hINA + subjunctive clauses are ordinarily purpose
clauses; in Hellenistic Greek they are increasingly substantive
clauses and are in fact equivalent to infinitives (the Modern Greek
infinitive is, in fact, NA + subjunctive, a usage derivative directly
from the Hellenistic usage.
I think that the hINA clauses in each of the instances that you've
cited is substantival and equivalent to an infinitive:
John 5:12 This is my commandment: your loving each oher as I have
loved you.
John 17:2 KAQWS EDWKAS AUTWi EXOUSIAN PASHS SARKOS, hINA PAN hO
DEDWKAS AUTWi DWSHi AUTOIS ZWHN AIWNION
"... as you gave him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life
to all that you gave him.
In John 17:3 "knowing" God and Jesus Christ is equated with "eternal
life"; I don't think there's any implication that this "knowing" is a
complete characterization of "eternal life" so much as it is an
insistence that the "knowing" is at the core of what "eternal life" is.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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