[B-Greek] Verbal Genitive 1 Peter 1:2

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Thu Dec 4 19:16:55 EST 2008


On Dec 4, 2008, at 6:46 PM, Norman Wood wrote:

> Hi George and Carl,
> can I run this past you then to see if I have really understood  
> this. The two ideas that might be present are
> 1. the chosen whom the Spirit consecrates to obedience
> (subjective genitive)
> 2.those chosen by consecrating their spirit to obedience
> (objective genitive)

That still seems more complicated than it ought to be:
ἐν ἁγιασμῷ πνεύματος [EN hAGIASMWi PNEUMATOS}
(a) subjective genitive: "by means of the Spirit's sanctifying (of  
you, the addressees)" -- In this instance hAGIASMOS is a verbal noun  
standing, let us say, for an infinitive such as TO hAGIAZEIN in which  
case PNEUMA as God's Spirit would be the subject of the infinitive
(b) objective genitive: "by means of the sanctifying of (your) spirit"  
-- In this instance hAGIASMOS is a verbal noun standing for an  
infinitive such as TO hAGIAZEIN with PNEUMA being the object of the  
infinitive "to sanctify spirit" -- "spirit" in that case would have to  
be the believer's spirit, not God's Spirit.


>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: George F Somsel
>  To: Norman Wood ; b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
>  Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 11:59 AM
>  Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Verbal Genitive 1 Peter 1:2
>
>
>  EN hAGIASMWi is a preposition with (or which takes) a dative.  When  
> I see EN + dative one of the things I consider is instrument or  
> means.  We tend to see PNEUMA in the NT and immediately think "Holy  
> Spirit" though this may not always be the case.  The genitive is  
> just a genitive.  It is we who distinguish various flavors (probably  
> "flavours" to you).  The context must be considered.  For example,  
> in Rom 8.16 Paul speaks of the Spirit bearing witness with our  
> spirit.  Obviously, the second "spirit" does not reference the Holy  
> Spirit.  I would therefore be aware of the context before deciding  
> which is the usage.  It could be consecration by the Spirit or it  
> could be consecration of the [our] spirit.  HINT:  Would it be  
> consecration by one's own spirit?  Remember that the prepositional  
> phrase most likely signifies means or instrument.
>
>  Now, regarding tense.  hAGIASMWi isn't even a participle.  It is a  
> noun -- hAGIASMOS, -OU, hO.  It therefore has no tense.
>
>  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: Norman Wood <nandk.wood at blueyonder.co.uk>
>  To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
>  Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2008 6:21:40 AM
>  Subject: [B-Greek] Verbal Genitive 1 Peter 1:2
>
>  Hi,
>
>  In 1 Peter 1:2 the phrase EN hAGIASMWi PVEUMATOS is described by J.  
> Ramsey Michaels as a subjective genitive (WBC pg 11). However he  
> renders it 'consecrated by the Spirit'. This makes ' by the Spirit'  
> an adverbial phrase and the Spirit is then not the subject of the  
> verb consecrate. Am I right in thinking that 'what the spirit  
> consecrates' is how a subjective genitive in this case might be  
> rendered?
>
>  Also how does one determine the tense of the verb in a verbal  
> genitive? In the rendering 'consecrated by the Spirit' hAGIAZW has  
> been rendered as a past tense, however the examples in Wallace GGBB  
> pg 114 translate as both past and present . Are there any guidelines  
> for this?
>
>  Best Wishes
>
>  Norman Wood
>
>  Scotland
>  ---
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Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Ret)



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