[B-Greek] 1Co11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN

Steve Runge srunge at logos.com
Fri Sep 4 11:32:31 EDT 2009


Steve,

I would agree with Iver's analysis of TOUTO in v. 17 being cataphoric rather than anaphoric. I have analyzed it as a "forward-pointing reference" in the "Lexham Discourse Greek New Testament" to add prominence to the proposition introduced in the hOTI clause that follows. In agreement with Iver, it is the context that makes this determination, taking the other factors into account. You are correct to correlate v. 17 with the use of EPAINW in v. 2, as I believe there is a rhetorical connection intended by the repetition. It is this connection that leads to the complex syntax.

The positioning of TOUTO at the beginning of the clause can be attributed to either topicalization or marked focus/emphasis. If you read it as anaphoric, then topicalization is the pragmatic reason for its placement. However, based in the shift in subject matter to the coming together of the Corinthians, it makes better sense to view TOUTO as proleptic, cataphoric, or pointing forward. This leads one to view it a pragmatically fronted for to place it--or more specifically the proposition to which it refers--in marked focus. The propositions to which forward-pointing demonstratives refer are most often subordinate hOTI clauses. The repetition of EPAINW that was used to introduce his Point 1 is another indication that he is moving on to Point 2.

Some of the apparent awkwardness in understanding TOUTO as forward-pointing can be attributed to the fact that the vast majority of forward-pointing pronouns occur in the main, typically indicative clause, not in a participial clause. The desire to connect the negated use of EPAINW in v. 17 back to the positive one in v. 2 requires has consequences. There is a competing priority besides the rhetorical connection back to v. 2: highlighting the introduction of the new topic for the next pericope using the cataphoric pronoun. 

I did a search in the discourse database to find other instances of a forward-pointing reference that also occurs in a participial clause, and found one other instance: 

1 Tim 1:9: 8 OIDAMEN DE hOTI KALOS hO NOMOS, EAN TIS AUTWi NOMIMWS CRHTAI, 9 EIDWS TOUTO, hOTI DIKAIWi NOMOS OU KEITAI, ANOMOIS DE KAI ANUPOTAKTOIS, ASEBESI KAI hAMARTWLOIS, ANOSIOIS KAI BEBHLOIS, PATROLWiAIS KAI MHTROLWiAIS, ANDROFONOIS. 

Just as in 1 Cor 11:17, I understand TOUTO in v. 9 to be pointing forward to the hOTI clause that immediately follows. Again, I think that the explanation for the strangeness of this usage is the legitimate expectation that a forward-pointing pronoun would occur in the main clause rather than a participial one. Despite this expectation, competing values can win out, as I think happens in 11:17.

The chapter from my discourse grammar that describes the rhetorical function of forward-pointing references and their "targets" is included in the draft sample posted on the publications page of my website.

Regards,

Steve

Steven Runge, DLitt (Biblical Languages)
Scholar-in-Residence
Logos Bible Software
360.685.4409
srunge at logos.com
http://www.logos.com/ntdiscoursegrammar
http://www.ntdiscourse.org

-----Original Message-----
From: b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Iver Larsen
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 6:12 AM
To: Steven Cox; BG
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] 1Co11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN

----- Original Message -----
From: Steven Cox
To: BG ; Iver Larsen
Sent: 4. september 2009 14:28
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] 1Co11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN

Iver,
Apologies, mails crossed. Thanks for that survey. I think I may be incorrect in what I just said about there not being other TOUTO DE + present participle, more likely I just haven't searched properly.
-------------------------
IL: I couldn't find any in the NT or LXX.
----------------------
You put the survey of versions in quotation marks. Is that part of one of SIL's resources?
---------------------
IL: Yes, it is a brief summary of commentators, since most of us do not have easy access to a large library. ALf stands for "Alford, Henry. The Greek Testament. Vol. 2. 1865. Reprint. Chicago: Moody, 1968." I am not going to defend his views.
--------------------
PS - I wonder would the option TOUTO DE PARAGGELLONTAS have been available to Paul if he wanted to point backwards to what he had just said?
-----------------------
IL: I don't think it is simply a matter of the tense used, but rather the whole context.

Iver Larsen

--- On Thu, 3/9/09, Iver Larsen <iver_larsen at sil.org> wrote:


From: Iver Larsen <iver_larsen at sil.org>
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] 1Co11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN
To: "Steven Cox" <stevencox_backonbgreek at yahoo.co.uk>, "BG"
<b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Thursday, 3 September, 2009, 8:41 PM


----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Cox"
<stevencox_backonbgreek at yahoo.co.uk>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: 3. september 2009 20:23
Subject: [B-Greek] 1Co11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN



I must apologize in advance because I'm sure I'm about to ask a redundant question. I've been up a ladder painting the eaves all afternoon and my brain isn't firing on all four cylinders.

1Co11:2 EPAINW DE UMAS OTI PANTA MOU MEMNHSQE...

1Co11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN OUK EPAINW OTI OUK EIS TO KREISSON ALLA EIS TO HSSON SUNERCESQE

I'd read TOUTO DE PARAGGELLWN as meaning "now in this [new] subject I don't praise you.... And I seem to be supported by the brackets in the Elberfelder "In dem ich aber dieses (d. h. das was folgt) vorschreibe.." = (i.e. that which
follows)

But I've just bumped into p.155 of Leon Morris' 1Corinthians where he is somewhat assertive that : "'commanding you this'...would naturally refer to the preceding (cf. NEB in 'giving these injunctions')"
------------------------

It may be of interest to compare with other initial TOUTO DE's in the letter:

1 Co 7:6 TOUTO DE LEGW...
1 Co 7:29 TOUTO DE FHMI
1 Co 7:35 TOUTO DE ... LEGW
1 Co 11:17 TOUTO DE PARAGGELLW OUK EPAINW
1 Co 15:50 TOUTO DE FHMI

Of these 5, the TOUTO in numbers 1 and 3 IMO refer to the preceding context, while the other 3 refer to the following context. This is also how most English versions have taken it - against Morris.

Commentators are more evenly divided than the translations:

"1. It refers to what follows [AB, EGT, MNTC, NIC2, NTC, TH, Vn; CEV, ISV, NAB, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV, TEV]. This verse constitutes a complete break with the preceding section. There Paul praised them (11:2). Here he does not praise them.
Also the second half of the verse gives the content of why he does not praise them. The direction is forward not back [NTC].
2. It refers to what precedes [Alf, Ed, Gdt, HNTC, ICC, Lns, My, NIC, Rb, TNTC; NJB, REB, TNT]. TOUTO 'this' refers to the warning in 11:16 and would mean 'Giving you this warning I do not praise you (about the following)' [Gdt]. If TOUTO refers to what follows, some definite command should follow it [Alf]. It refers not to 11:16 as there is no command there, but to 11:2-16 [NIC]."

Iver Larsen

---
B-Greek home page: http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek B-Greek mailing list B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-greek



More information about the B-Greek mailing list