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1Cor.11:9-12 διὰ a cluster of prepositions.

Posted: January 5th, 2016, 12:16 am
by Stephen Hughes
1 Corinthians 11:9-12 wrote:καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκτίσθη ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα· 10 διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους. 11 Πλὴν οὔτε ἀνὴρ χωρὶς γυναικός, οὔτε γυνὴ χωρὶς ἀνδρός, ἐν κυρίῳ. 12 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρός , οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆς γυναικός, τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ.
Is there anywhere else in the New Testament that the preposition διὰ is so densely used? (Four times in three verses).

[The question is a preamble to speculating what alternative prepositions might have been used if the διὰ had not been used, and whether the διὰ - ἐκ - ἐν might be a common way of structuring arguments.]

Re: 1Cor.11:9-12 διὰ a cluster of prepositions.

Posted: January 5th, 2016, 1:39 am
by Stephen Carlson
Stephen Hughes wrote:
1 Corinthians 11:9-12 wrote:καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἐκτίσθη ἀνὴρ διὰ τὴν γυναῖκα, ἀλλὰ γυνὴ διὰ τὸν ἄνδρα· 10 διὰ τοῦτο ὀφείλει ἡ γυνὴ ἐξουσίαν ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς διὰ τοὺς ἀγγέλους. 11 Πλὴν οὔτε ἀνὴρ χωρὶς γυναικός, οὔτε γυνὴ χωρὶς ἀνδρός, ἐν κυρίῳ. 12 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρός , οὕτως καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ διὰ τῆς γυναικός, τὰ δὲ πάντα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ.
Is there anywhere else in the New Testament that the preposition διὰ is so densely used? (Four times in three verses).
It's five times, because you missed the initial διά in v.10. As for the question, it sounds like a job for someone with Bible software and good search skills. Not exactly something one remembers.
Stephen Hughes wrote:[The question is a preamble to speculating what alternative prepositions might have been used if the διὰ had not been used, and whether the διὰ - ἐκ - ἐν might be a common way of structuring arguments.]
The διά prepositions in v.9 are usually seen as an allusion to the creation story of Gen 2. The διά in v.12 to (contemporary) procreattion. The two instances of διά in v.10 constitute an exegetical crux for which a multiplicity of (inadequate) proposals abound.