[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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