[B-Greek] Philippians 1:3-4 - MNEIA - DEHSIS

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Wed Aug 19 06:28:58 EDT 2009


On Aug 19, 2009, at 5:44 AM, Beata Urbanek wrote:

> Dear List,
>
> I've got another question concerning the passage which has been  
> talked about
> recently.
> What is the relation between EPI PASHi THi MNEIAi and EN PASHi  
> DEHSEI at the
> beggining of the passage? Are they parallel? Is Paul's prayer for
> Phillipians identified with rememberance of them or they are two  
> separate
> acts? In other words, does Paul thank God every time he remembers  
> about
> Phillipians or he thanks for them at his prayer times?
>
> Phil. 1:3 Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου ἐπὶ  
> πάσῃ
> τῇ μνείᾳ ὑμῶν  4 πάντοτε ἐν πάσῃ
> δεήσει μου ὑπὲρ πάντων ὑμῶν, μετὰ
> χαρᾶς τὴν δέησιν ποιούμενος,  5 ἐπὶ
> τῇ κοινωνίᾳ ὑμῶν εἰς τὸ
> εὐαγγέλιον ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἡμέρας
> ἄχρι τοῦ νῦν,
> .
> PHIL. 1:3 EUCARISTW TWi QEWi MOU EPI PASHi THi MNEIAi hUMWN 4 PANTOTE
> EN PASHi DEHSEI MOU hUPER PANTWN hUMWN, META CARAS THN DEHSIN
> POIOUMENOS, 5 EPI THi KOINWNIAi hUMWN EIS TO EUAGGELION APO THS PRWTHS
> hHMERAS ACRI TOU NUN.

Steve Runge might give you a more up-to-date technical analysis of the  
rhetoric of this, but here's my own take on the logical ordering of  
the sequence:
(1) I think that PANTOTE picks up the phrase EPI PASHi THi MNEIAi hUMWN;
(2) I think that DEHSIS here is used in the broader sense of "prayer"  
rather than in the narrower sense of "petition" or "request";
(3) I think that the recurrent PASHi ... PANTOTE ... PASHi indicates  
single instances (inclusively and cumulatively) and that Paul is here  
reflecting upon the entire cumulative sequence of recollections  
concerning the Philippian congregation and his own recurrently  
recapitulated warm feelings about that congregaton in the course of  
time (PANTOTE, APO THS PRWTHS hHMERAS ACARI TOU NUN);
(4) I think that PANTOTE through POIOUMENOS should be read as a whole  
clause, although it seems segmented into distinct focal points  
underscoring "each and every": PANTOTE, PASHi, PANATWN);
(5) I think that this whole sequence gives expression to a single  
comprehensive notion, however segmented the elements of its  
expression: joyful recollection of and gratitude to God for Paul's  
entire history of fellowship with the Philippian congregation.

My paraphrase: "Every thought of you makes me thank God, each and  
every prayer of mine joyfully embracing each and every one of you in  
gratitude for our shared evangelistic venture, extending from day one  
to the present moment."

In sum, in case I haven't adequately answered the real question posed,  
I think that EN PASHi DEHSEI expands and explains the simple  
statement, EUCARISTW ... EPI PASHi THi MNHMHi hUMWN: "My every thought  
of you is a prayer of gratitude to God for you all."


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






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