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

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Thu Jul 23 20:51:22 EDT 2009


On Jul 23, 2009, at 8:47 PM, Carl Conrad wrote:

>
> 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 no article

> 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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