[b-greek] Re: 2 Cor 3:13

From: Steven R. Lo Vullo (doulos@appleisp.net)
Date: Sat Sep 08 2001 - 20:57:59 EDT


on 9/8/01 9:20 PM, Dmitriy Reznik at reznik1@juno.com wrote:

> Dear friends:
> I have a question about 2Cor 3:13:
> KAI OU KAQAPER MWUSHS ENTIQEI KALUMMA EPI TO PROSWPON AUTOU PROS TO MH
> ATENISAI TOUS hUIOUS ISRAHL...
> And are not like Moses, who put a veil on his face, so that the children
> of Israel might not see...
> Does PROS really designates purpose here? Or may it mean a reason?

I don't think it can be causal, for a couple of reasons. First, PROS TO with
the infinitive generally indicates either purpose or result (or perhaps
both). When Paul uses this construction elsewhere (Eph 6.11; 1 Th 2.9; 2 Th
3.8) it is clearly meant to express purpose (or perhaps result). I think
this holds true throughout the NT. Cause would be properly expressed by DIA
TO with the infinitive.

Second, if we were to take it as causal, the idea would be, "because the
children of Israel did not gaze at the end of what was fading away." If they
did not gaze at it, there would be no point in covering it with a veil, for
the veil was used to prevent people from seeing it. HTH
--

Steve Lo Vullo
Madison, WI


> Because it is written in verse 7:
> "But if the ministration of death, written and engraved in stones was
> glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the
> face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was to
> be done away with,"
> It says people could not "steadfastly behold" at Moses' face, and
> wouldn't it be a good reason for Moses' putting the veil, "because the
> children of Israel might not see..."?
> Is it a probability?
> Thanks.
> Dmitriy Reznik


---
B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek
You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com]
To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu
To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu




This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:37:06 EDT