[B-Greek] Jn 17:3 Gk syntax
Oun Kwon
kwonbbl at gmail.com
Sat Jan 13 10:48:52 EST 2007
On 1/13/07, Carl W. Conrad <cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu> wrote:
>
> 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
Thanks for correcting my 'typos' blunders in transliteration.
Certainly spelling check in Word will not work for this.
Though I think taking the hINA clause as purpose seems clear to me,
the last paragraph of your reply does make sense.
I think it may have something to do with undenstaning the verb
'ESTIN'. As rendered in most translations, it usually comes to the
mind as an equal sign ( = ) in equation, as if it gives a definition.
There are many examples, such as
Heb 11:1 ESTIN DE PISTIS ELPIZOMENWN hUPOSTASIS ('Faith is ...')
Lk 22:19 TOUTO ESTIN TO SWMA MOU ('It is ...')
where the verb has more of sense of 'it means' 'it stands for' rather
than simple gloss 'it is'.
Oun.
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