[B-Greek] Elipsis of verb after MH in prohibititions 1COR. 4:6
Elizabeth Kline
kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Sat Aug 9 15:50:56 EDT 2008
1COR. 4:6 TAUTA DE, ADELFOI, METESCHMATISA EIS EMAUTON KAI APOLLWN DI
hUMAS, hINA EN hHMIN MAQHTE TO MH hUPER hA GEGRAPTAI, hINA MH hEIS
hUPER TOU hENOS FUSIOUSQE KATA TOU hETEROU.
There are a number of problems in this verse, however the syntax of TO
MH hUPER hA GEGRAPTAI is not, in itself, a cause for dismay, as some
20th century NT scholars have suggested. It is notable that the
Plummer (1Cor ICC), Alford and Meyer see nothing terribly difficult
about this syntax. Negatives in prohibitions without a main verb are
found in Classical dialogue (Meyer P.92, Alford p. 500). Often the
verbal idea is readily supplied from the immediate context but not
always. Cooper (Attic Syntax 1:67.41.0) "Fairly often ... an ellipse
with a negative is not that of a specific idea from the context but a
more general verbal idea of being, doing, saying."
It is not perfectly obvious if the verbal idea for TO MH hUPER hA
GEGRAPTAI should be supplied from the immediate context. The idea of
"exceeding what is written" either in thought, speech or action seems
suitable to the context but other suggestions have been put forward.
The real crux is the referent and/or semantic content of hA GEGRAPTAI,
about which much has been written.
Elizabeth Kline
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