[B-Greek] Matthew 28: 19,20
Mark Lightman
lightmanmark at yahoo.com
Thu Dec 3 17:35:13 EST 2009
Thomas egraspe:
<The first question concerns the participles βαπτίζοντες /
BAPTIZONTES and διδάσκοντες / DIDASKONTES.
I would like to ask if these participles are causal
or descriptive; that is, do they explain how disciples
are to be made (by baptizing… and by teaching…)
or do they describe what accompanies the making
of disciples (baptism and teaching). There may not
be a great difference between the two, but if Greek
makes such a difference I would like to know.>
Hi, Thomas,
I don't think there is anything in the Greek which would
settle this either way. Nothing prevents one from taking
the participle as causal. Nothing forces one to. Participle
plus finite verb, or finite verb plus participle, or participle
plus finite verb plus another participle. This is such a GREEK
way of writing, from Homer to the NT, and it always
results in ambiguity. Something else, the context,
always decides questions like this. This is really the
meta Greek Urban Legend that Jeff R. has been
trying to explain, that knowing the Greek EVER helps
you settle a question like this. But that does not
mean you should not ask the question. It is a good
one.
Mark L
FWSFOROS MARKOS
--- On Thu, 12/3/09, Thomas Hagen <thomas.hagen at libero.it> wrote:
From: Thomas Hagen <thomas.hagen at libero.it>
Subject: [B-Greek] Matthew 28: 19,20
To: "B-Greek" <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009, 2:38 PM
Dear B-Greek friends –
I have two questions concerning Matthew 28:19, 20.
19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
19πορευθέντες οὖν μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνευματος, 20διδάσκοντες αὐτοὺς τηρεῖν πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μετ' ὑμῶν εἰμὶ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἕως τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος.
19POREUQENTES OUN MAQHTEUSATE PANTA TA EQNH, BAPTIZONTES AUTOUS EIS TO ONOMA TOU PATROS KAI TOU hUIOU KAI TOU hAGIOU PNEUMATOS,
20 DIDASKONTES AUTOUS THREIN PANTA hOSA ENETEILAMHN UMIN· KAI IDOU EGW MET' UMWN EIMI PASAS TAS hHMERAS hEWS THS SUNTELEIAS TOU AIWNOS.
The first question concerns the participles βαπτίζοντες / BAPTIZONTES and διδάσκοντες / DIDASKONTES. I would like to ask if these participles are causal or descriptive; that is, do they explain how disciples are to be made (by baptizing… and by teaching…) or do they describe what accompanies the making of disciples (baptism and teaching). There may not be a great difference between the two, but if Greek makes such a difference I would like to know.
The second question concerns the meaning of τηρεῖν / THREIN in verse 20. I would like to know if in this context it means keep in the sense of “putting into practice” or in the sense of “preserving, conserving, guarding carefully so as not to lose”.
I hope I have succeeded in clearly explaining my questions. Thank you for any enlightenment you can give me.
Thomas Hagen
Livorno, Italy
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