[B-Greek] 1 Timothy 2:4-5

George F Somsel gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Mon Mar 7 10:31:27 EST 2011


4 ὃς πάντας ἀνθρωπους θέλει σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας 
ἐλθεῖν.
5 Εἷς γὰρ θεός, 
   εἷς καὶ μεσίτης θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων,
   ἄνθρωπος Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς

4 hOS PANTAS ANQRWPOUS QELEI SWQHNAI KAI EIS EPIGNWSIN ALHQEIAS ELQEIN.
5 hEIS GAR QEOS,
   hEIS KAI MESITHS QEOU KAI ANQRWPWN,
   ANQRWPOS XRISTOS IHSOUS

First, let us dispose of γάρ GAR.  I've found Steve Runge's _Discourse Grammar 
of the Greek New Testament_ to be helpful particularly with regard to some of 
the conjunctions.  He notes that while Wallace and Young indicate that γάρ GAR 
is both coordinating and subordinating that 


"Robertson's 'explanatory' assertion has largely been confirmed as the core 
constraint of γάρ in modern linguistic treatements."  


And, 

"Where it occurs in narrative proper, the proposition introduced by γάρfleshes 
out some aspect of what precedes. It may be in the form of background 
information; it may introduce the reason or rationale for some preceding action 
or state."
 
 
Regarding βούλομαι BOULOMAI and θέλω QELW, it seems that the difference BDAG 
indicates is that θέλω QELW indicates a wish or desire while βούλομαι BOULOMAI 
not only indicates a desire but a plan.  I am not sure that I agree with this -- 
particularly with regard to this passage.  Here it would seem that what is 
indicated is precisely that God's wish is then carried out -- that is to say, a 
plan is executed.

 george
gfsomsel 


… search for truth, hear truth, 
learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth, 
defend the truth till death.


- Jan Hus
_________ 




________________________________
From: Beata Urbanek <beata.urbanek at op.pl>
To: B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Sent: Mon, March 7, 2011 2:35:51 AM
Subject: [B-Greek] 1 Timothy 2:4-5

Dear B-Greekers,

the text:
4. hOS PANTAS ANQWRWPOUS QELEI SWQHNAI KAI EIS EPIGNQSIN ALHQEIAS ELQEIN 
5. hEIS GAR QEOS hEIS KAI MESITHS QEOU KAI ANQRWPWN ANQRWPOS CRISTOS IHSOUS

My questions concerns two words.
1. QELW 
In an article I read an interpretation that there is a distinction between QELW  
and BOULOMAI here. So, the text says that it's God's wish, that He simply wants 
all the people to have all they need to be saved. In other words that it's a 
wish off his heart and not a decision of his will. Can we say that on tha base 
of the meaning of the verbs?
Thayer says: "As respects the distinction between βούλομαι and θέλω, the former 
seems to designate the will which follows deliberation, the latter the will 
which proceeds from inclination". There is also a reverse of this distinction. 

BDAG has a few meanings of QELW:
a. to have a desire for something, wish to have, desire, want
b. to have someth. in mind for oneself, of purpose, resolve, will, wish, want, 
be ready 

BDAG doesn't refer to 1 Tim 2:4.
At BOULOMAI BDAG cites BDF - there is no difference in meaning between the 
verbs.

What do you think?

2. GAR
Is GAR here explicative (as BDAG suggests) or it gives the reason? This is the 
more important question to me. What is the connection between the verses 4 and 
5? 


Beata Urbanek
---
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