[B-Greek] GENOMENOS in Phil. 2:8

Blue Meeksbay bluemeeksbay at yahoo.com
Fri Mar 12 13:02:33 EST 2010


KAI SCHMATI  hEUREQEIS  hWS  ANQRWPOS  ETAPEINWSEN  hEAUTON GENOMENOS  hUPHKOOS  MECRI QANATOU, QANATOU DE STAUROU.  Phil 2:8 (or 2:7b-8)
 
I am wondering if the aorist participle GENOMENOS in this verse can be understood in a stative sense – i.e. “being” – “…he humbled himself, *being* obedient until death, even death of the cross.” I take the particle MECRI as indicating this state continued all the way till death. 
 
Many English translators prefer to see GENOMENOS as “becoming,” which makes the obedience dependent on his act of humbling.  
 
“And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.”  RSV
 
Others prefer to understand the act of humbling to simply be a manifestation of an obedient act… as is shown by the ESV. 
 
“And being found in human form, he humbled himself *by* becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” ESV
 
I prefer to understand his act of humbling to be based on his obedient state or attitude.  Let me give a paraphrase to explain what I mean.
 
“And being found in human form, and because of his obedient mindset that was his until death, he humbled himself, even to the death of a cross.” 
 
The only English versions I could find that came close to this thought is the New Century Version –
 
“And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross.”
 
As far as other languages, (if I can trust Google translate), the German “Hoffnung für Alle” comes close –
 
“Er erniedrigte sich selbst und war Gott gehorsam bis zum Tod, ja, bis zum schändlichen Tod am Kreuz.”
 
“He humbled Himself and God was obedient unto death, even to the shameful death on the cross.” (Google translate).
 
And the “Het Boek” of the Netherlands seems to convey a similar thought.
 
“Herkenbaar als mens, vernederde Hij Zich en gehoorzaamde tot het uiterste, zelfs tot in de dood aan het kruis.”
 
“Recognizable as human, He humbled Himself and obeyed to the utmost, even unto death on the cross.” (Google translate).
 
It seems, from looking at most translations, this understanding of  GENOMENOS with this stative sense of “being” is a minority view, but can anyone see a reason why it should be disallowed?
 
Sincerely,
 
Blue Harris


      


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