No HTML please

Peter Eyland epe at newt.phys.unsw.edu.au
Tue Feb 16 23:34:31 EST 1999


This is a plea from a UNIX based user that list members do NOT send 
HTML tagged documents via email.  I offer this recent example without 
prejudice (some ^p ^p left out to conserve bandwidth).
Cheers
Peter
(Uh - oh, I hope you see it as I see it without auto-conversion)

Quoting from a document of my study:</color>
<color><param>FF00,0000,0000</param>(1 Cor 13:8 KJV)  Charity 
never faileth: but whether there be 
prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall 
cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
</color><FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>	1.
	prophecy 		will be done away	
		<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>profhtei=ai	
	katarghqh/sontai
<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>	2.	tongues 
			will cease
		<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>glw=ssai	
		pau/sontai
<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>	3.
	knowledge		will be done away

		<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>gnw=sij		              
	katarghqh/setai<FontFamily><param>Times New 
Roman</param>
It should be clear from these three phrases that prophecy, tongues and 
knowledge are temporary gifts; however, we are not told when these 
three gifts will cease to function, and we are not told why they will 
cease 
to function.  
Now let's examine the grammatical construction of the verbs used to 
indicate the temporary nature of these three gifts.
<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>	<FontFamily><param>Times 
New Roman</param>(prophecy)	
	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>katarghqh/sontai	
	<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>3rd person 
plural,    future  
passive  indicative<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>

	<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>(tongues)	
	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>pau/sontai	
	3<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>rd person 
plural,    future  <bold>middle</bold>  
indicative<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>

	<FontFamily><param>Times New 
Roman</param>(knowledge)	
	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>katarghqh/setai	
	<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>3rd person 
singular, future  
passive  indicative<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>


<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>There are two 
major and significant differences in the three verbs used to 
indicate the temporary nature of these three spiritual gifts:


<paraindent><param>out</param>1.	The root verb used with the 
temporary gift of tongues is 
different from the root verb used with the other two temporary 
gifts.</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param> </paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>2.	The verb used with tongues is 
in the "middle voice" while the 
verb used with both prophecy and knowledge is in the "passive 
voice."</paraindent>


What is the significance of the middle voice as opposed to the passive 
voice?


<paraindent><param>out</param>1.	The middle voice, used with 
tongues, indicates that the gift of 
tongues would work against itself to bring about its own 
termination.</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>  </paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>2.	The passive voice, used with 
prophecy and knowledge, means 
that the subject receives the action of the main verb.</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>	</paraindent>

<color><param>FF00,0000,0000</param><FontFamily><param>Ari
al</param>My question concerning the aforementioned:  Is the 
aforementioned 
exegesis proper and correct ?</color><FontFamily><param>Times 
New Roman</param>



Secondly from the same document:

<bold><underline>Should Tongues Really be Coveted?:  1 
Corinthians 12:31


<paraindent><param>left</param><flushboth></underline>1 
Corinthians 12:31  But covet earnestly the best 
gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.  
(KJV)</paraindent></flushboth>


</bold>This verse  presents a problem for anyone who is translating 
from the 
original Greek language.  The very first word in the Greek sentence is 
the 
word  
<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>zhlou=te,<FontFamily><para
m>Times New Roman</param>  and herein lies the problem.  This 
word can be correctly 
translated in three different 
ways.<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>  


<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>
	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>zhlou=te<FontFamily>
<param>Times New Roman</param>  second person plural, present 
active imperative

	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>zhlou=te 
<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>second person 
plural, present active 
subjunctive<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>

	zhlou=te <FontFamily><param>Times New 
Roman</param>second person plural, present active indicative


Each of these grammatical constructions has its own translation.  For 
example:


	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>zhlou=te<FontFamily>
<param>Times New Roman</param>  second person plural, present 
active imperative


<paraindent><param>out</param>	The imperative mood is a 
command, and this translation would 
demand the force of a command.  Unfortunately, this word is 
translated as a command in the English King James Version, the 
English New American Standard Version and the English New 
International Version and Living Letters.  Each reads as 
follows:</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>	King James:			
	"covet earnestly"</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>	New American Standard:
	"earnestly desire"</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>	New international Version:
	"eagerly desire"</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>	Living Letters:			
	"try your best to get"</paraindent>


	<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>zhlou=te 
<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>second person 
plural, present active 
subjunctive<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>


<paraindent><param>out</param><FontFamily><param>Times 
New Roman</param>	The subjunctive mood recognizes the free 
will of the individual 
and then points them in a desired direction.  Unfortunately, this 
word is translated in this manner in the New English Bible.  It 
reads as follows:</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>	New English Bible:		
	"you should aim at"</paraindent>


<FontFamily><param>Sgreek</param>	zhlou=te 
<FontFamily><param>Times New Roman</param>second person 
plural, present active indicative


<paraindent><param>out</param>	No English version of the 
Bible translates this verb to reflect the 
indicative mood.  To reflect the indicative mood, this verb 
would be translated in the following manner:</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>	King James:			
	"you are coveting earnestly"</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>	New American Standard:
	"you are earnestly desiring"</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>	New International Version:
	"you are eagerly desiring"</paraindent>

<paraindent><param>out</param>	Living Letters:			
	"you are trying your best to get"</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>	Only the indicative mood 
properly reflects the polemic nature of 1 
Corinthians 12 and 14.  The polemic nature, then, demands that 1 
Corinthians 12:31 be understood as Paul exposing a problem in the 
church at Corinth, namely, the abuse of the gift of tongues.  He was 
not commanding them to seek after a specific gift, namely, 
tongues.</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>	It is interesting that a footnote 
on 1 Corinthians 12:31 in the New 
International Version is the only reference in any modern English 
version wherein an appropriate translation is rendered.  This 
footnote reads as follows:</paraindent>


<paraindent><param>out</param>		New International 
Version:  "But you are eagerly desiring"</paraindent>


<bold><underline>Conclusion:</underline></bold>  1 Corinthians 
12:31 does not command present day 
believers to seek the gift of tongues.  In fact, when properly translated, 
this verse accuses the Corinthian believers of wrongfully seeking the 
tongues gift.
<color><param>7F00,0000,0000</param>Same questions as above.
If you have websites or expositions on this subject.. I would appreciate 
the input to my personal e mail addy.  That way we can stick to the 
greek 
in reference to the two verses and the propsed exegesis of them.


thanks</color>
<nofill>




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