[B-Greek] Anarthrous vs Arthrous Genitive in II Corinthians 3:6 & 3:14

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Thu Jul 23 20:47:50 EDT 2009


On Jul 23, 2009, at 5:18 PM, Bryant J. Williams III wrote:

> Dear List,
>
> [3:6]
> hOS KAI hIKANWSEN hMAS DIAKONOUS KAINHS DIAQHKHS, OU GRAMMATOS ALLA  
> PNEUMATOS; TO GAR GRAMMA APOKTENNEI, TO DE ZWiOPOIEI.
>
> [3:14]
> ALLA EPWRWQH TA NOHMATA AUTWN. AXRI GAR THS SHMERON hMERAS TO AUTHO  
> KALUMMA EPI THi ANAGNWSEI THS PALAIAS DIAQHKHS MENEI MH  
> ANAKALUPTOMENON, hOTI EN XRISTWi KATARGEITAI.
>
> How would the anarthrous genitive, DIAQHKHS be used here? Is it an  
> Objective Genitive or Descriptive Genitive especially since THS  
> PALAIAS DIAQHKH is used in 3:14?

For my part, I don't think the fact that KAINHS DIAQHKHS in 3:6 has  
any bearing on the relationship of the genitive-case to DIAKONOUS. As  
for the subcategory of adnominal genitive into which this genitive  
phrase should be placed, I don't think all those categories are really  
very useful. The question to be asked is: how are the DIAKONOI  
functioning in relationship to the KAINH DIAQHKH? The DIAKONOI are  
functionaries or agents and they function or act with regard to a  
KAINH DIAQHKH. There is, in fact, nothing in this phrase to indicate  
exactly what the relationship is. They function on behalf of a new  
covenant? Yes. They function to make the new covenant efficacious?  
Yes. There is absolutely nothing in the nature of the phrase DIAKONOUS  
KAINHS DIAQHKHAS that points to the precise nature of the service or  
ministry or function to be performed in relationship to a new  
covenant.Is the DIAKONOS an evangelist? Does the DIAKONOS teach? Does  
the DIAKONOS operate a soup kitchen or a medical clinic or provide  
shelter and bedding for homeless people? Any of these might constitute  
a DIAKONIA associated with KAINH DIAQHKH, but a more precise  
indication of the service or function performed depends wholly on the  
context. But the genitive form KAINHS DIAQHKHS syntactically  
associated with the noun DIAKONOUS does not tell us anything more than  
that "we" have been enabled to be "functonaries" in some relationship  
to a "new covenant." Calling this genitive usage anything other than  
or more than an "adnominal genitive" or "adjectival" genitive does  
nothing to assist the explication of the text. That explication  
depends upon other information derived from other elements in the text  
and context.

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






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