[B-Greek] Heinemann on Matt. 6:10//Lk. 11:2

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Sat Jan 5 06:21:14 EST 2008


On Jan 4, 2008, at 10:10 PM, Walt Seevers <lws39 at juno.com> wrote:

> Since ERXOMAI and GINOMAI are being discussed, I am wondering if I  
> missed the response by Carl. Perhaps I have misunderstood his  
> comments regarding the passive/middle/deponent issue.
>
> If someone might cause me to be enlightened...?

I don't know about enlightenment (it's still dark in the Blue Ridge,  
where I'm writing at 6 a.m.), but I'll repeat what I already mentioned  
to Jeffrey in my previous off-list response to him: there's not really  
any difference between GENESQW and GENHQHTW -- i.e. we can't affirm  
that GENESQW is middle but GENHQHTW passive, since the QH "passive"  
forms are in process of supplanting the older aorist middle (and  
future middle) forms, bearing both middle and passive semantic value  
just as the MAI/SAI/TAI,MHN/SO/TO forms bear both middle and passive  
semantic value, depending on the verb and its distinctive Aktionsart.  
I'd say that both forms --  GENESQW and GENHQHTW -- mean "come to  
pass" or "come to fulfillment." I don't think any grammatical  
perspective precludes the possibility or probability that this is to  
come about through human agents who will do the will of God.


>
>
>> From what I gather from the above is that the it is expected that  
>> the aorist
> (whether passive or not) is generally used for the expected petition  
> to be
> granted. I take the passive use here to indicate that the petition  
> "Thy kingdom
> come; Thy will be done," ELQETW hH BASILEIA SOU; GENHQHTW TO QELHMA  
> SOU, is a
> given fact. This is indicated by the hWS EN OURANWi KAI EPI GHS; "as  
> it is in
> heaven so (KAI-now?) upon earth." With regards to the passive use, I  
> take it to
> mean that the petitioner is not involved in the actual act since it  
> is God,
> who's kingdom and will will come and be done, is the one who  
> performs the
> actions necessary. That is how I take the quote of Heinemann.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)





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