[B-Greek] Accusative of retained object

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Wed May 23 04:44:33 EDT 2007


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth Kline" <kline_dekooning at earthlink.net>
>
> On May 22, 2007, at 1:22 AM, Iver Larsen wrote:
...
>> Because it is ditransitive, it can be made into a passive in two ways:
>>
>> 1. Object-to-subject passivization: The Scriptures were given to
>> the Jews (by God)
>> 2. IndirectObject-to-subject passivization: The Jews were given the
>> Scriptures (by God)
>>
.....
>
> This is a clear and unambiguous analysis. While I agree that "In both
> cases, the agent (God) has been moved out of focus." Your analysis of
> PT2 moves the indirect object (TOIS IOUDAIOIS implied) into subject
> slot with EPISTEUQHSAN without changing the semantic role
> (beneficiary/receiver).
>
> However, it seems like Carl is saying something quite different.
> Carl's rendering "They got the LOGIA in trust" appears to transfer
> agency to the subject of EPISTEUQHSAN.
>
> Elizabeth Kline

Yes, it looks like it, but Carl can clarify that.
Initially, I was adopting the analysis of a middle sense, but after having looked some more at other 
examples of this verb in the NT and the semantics, I have come to the conclusion that the verb here 
in Rom 3:2 is best analyzed as passive rather than middle, not on morphological grounds, but because 
of the semantics. In a middle form, the agent needs to be part of the semantic make-up that gets put 
into the subject slot. Often the subject indicates both agent and beneficiary. But in this verse, 
the Jews (the subject) cannot be the agent, only the beneficiary.

PISTEUW basically means "trust", but can have different senses, depending on its case frames. I have 
not found any middle forms of the verb in the GNT and cannot easily search outside.

There is an interesting instance in Rom 10:10:
ὅτι ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς ἐν τῷ στόματί σου κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὁ θεὸς αὐτὸν 
ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ·
v 10 καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν.

hOTI EAN hOMOLOGHSHiS EN TWi STOMATI SOU KURION IHSOUN KAI PISTEUSHiS EN THi KARDIA SOU hOTI hO QEOS 
AUTON HGEIREN EK NEKRWN, SWQHSHi

10 KARDIAi GAR PISTEUETAI EIS DIKAIOSUNHN, STOMATI DE hOMOLOGEITAI EIS SWTHRIAN.

I was initially thrown off by some English translations that appear to see this as middle (NET: For 
with the heart one believes..), but after a closer look, I realized that both PISTEUETAI and 
hOMOLOGEITAI must be analyzed as present passives. This becomes clear if we connect to the previous 
sentence, something that GAR should alert us to do. Therefore, I would suggest a translation like:

"Because if you have agreed-and-said in your own words that Jesus is (your) Lord and you have 
trusted/believed in your heart that God raised him from the death, you will be saved, for this is 
believed in the HEART (contrastive focus - not just the mind) resulting in being-accepted-by-God, 
and it is agreed-and-said by (your) words resulting in salvation."



Notice the chiasm in the two verses:

if you confess A with your mouth

    and believe B in your heart

                    you will be saved

    for (B) is to be believed in the heart

and (A) is to be confessed with the mouth

                    resulting in salvation

Iver Larsen






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