From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Fri Feb 02 1996 - 08:32:53 EST
On 2/1/96, Tim McLay wrote:
> Perhaps I am missing something, and I would appreciate Carl or someone else
> pointing out the obvious, but if not, I intend on writing a note on this.
>
> 1 Pet. 2:5 has KAI\ AU0TOI\ W(S LI/QOI ZW=NTES OI0KODOMEI=SQE OI)=KOS
> PNEUMATIKO\S This is translated in the NIV as "you also, like living
> stones, are being built into a spiritual house", NRSV has "like living
> stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house". Similar
> translations are found in the RSV, KJV, and JB. Any discussion of this
> construction in several commentaries centers on the verb, passive vs.
> imperative sense.
>
> My problem, however, is "spiritual house" is in the NOMINATIVE! Each of the
> versions translates as though it were an accusative. So far, in an initial
> search of five commentaries and several grammars there has been NO
> discussion or explanation of the grammar. LSJ does not record any instances
> of OI0KODOMEI=SQE being used like a copulative.
>
> Would the grammar not result in a translation like, "you yourselves like
> living stones, a spiritual house, are being built into a holy priesthood" ???
> Am I blinded to something? Comments appreciated.
Actually I think these versions are all reasonable; I would understand
OIKOS PNEUMATIKOS as a predicate nominative rather than as a nominative in
apposition to the subject, i.e., ADVERBIALLY to the verb OIKODOMEISQE. I'm
more used to explaining this type of construction in Latin, but it strikes
me that in classical Attic KAQISTASQAI is used much the same way as FIERI
in Latin:
Cicero Antoniusque fiunt consules.
hO TE PERIKLHS KAI hO LAXHS KAQISTANTAI STRATHGOI.
This is not really quite the same thing, I think, as a predicate nominative
with a simple copulative verb like EINAI or GINESQAI, for it is a matter of
being constituted as consuls or commanders that is indicated by the verbs
in the above sentences. And yet it seems to me there's a rather thin line
between the copulative and the predicative constructions. Would the
linguists kindly comment on this matter?
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University
One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, USA 63130
(314) 935-4018
cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu OR cwc@oui.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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