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An Exegetical Analysis of the Aorist Participle in Acts 19:40
This exegetical study of An Exegetical Analysis of the Aorist Participle in Acts 19:40 is based on a b-greek discussion from November 18, 2007. The initial query concerns the interpretation of Acts 19:40, where an individual’s first reading, “And with those words he dismissed the meeting,” diverged from the more common rendering, “After saying these things he dismissed the meeting.”
The core exegetical issue revolves around the precise semantic force of the aorist active participle εἰπών (“having said”) in relation to the main verb ἀπέλυσεν (“he dismissed”) within the clause καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν (Acts 19:40). Specifically, the discussion seeks to determine whether the participle denotes simultaneous action (means or manner), antecedent action (temporal succession), or causation. This grammatical distinction significantly impacts the interpretation of how the assembly in Ephesus was dismissed following the town clerk’s address, as well as the rhetorical effectiveness of his preceding speech.
Greek text (Nestle 1904):
Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- The SBLGNT (2010) text for Acts 19:40, καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, exhibits no significant variants compared to the Nestle 1904 edition for this particular clause. The textual tradition for this verse is notably stable, offering consistent readings across major critical editions.
Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes:
The clause καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν (Acts 19:40) is uniformly attested across major critical editions, including the NA28 (Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th ed.). There are no significant textual variants impacting the form or presence of the participle εἰπών or the main verb ἀπέλυσεν, suggesting a robust textual tradition for this passage.
- εἰπών: This is the masculine singular nominative aorist active participle of λέγω (to say, speak, tell). According to BDAG, λέγω encompasses a broad range of meanings related to verbal communication. The aorist aspect typically denotes a completed action, often prior to the action of the main verb, but its precise temporal or logical relationship can also be circumstantial (e.g., means, cause, attendant circumstance) depending on the context.
- ταῦτα: This is the neuter plural accusative form of the demonstrative pronoun οὗτος (this, these). In context, it refers to “these things” or “these words” that the town clerk has just spoken, which were aimed at calming the riotous assembly (Acts 19:35-39).
- ἀπέλυσεν: This is the third person singular aorist active indicative of ἀπολύω (to release, dismiss, send away). BDAG provides definitions such as “to cause someone to be released from a legal obligation, to set free” or “to send someone away, dismiss, release.” Here, it clearly refers to the official dismissal of the gathered crowd.
Translation Variants
The primary point of contention in translating καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέλυσεν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν lies in the grammatical and rhetorical function of the aorist participle εἰπών. Grammatically, Greek aorist participles generally denote an action that occurred prior to the action of the main verb. For example, in Acts 20:26 (καὶ ταῦτα εἰπών) and Acts 27:35 (εἴπας δὲ ταῦτα), similar constructions clearly indicate a temporal sequence where the speech precedes the subsequent action. This temporal reading (“after saying these things”) is the most common and grammatically default interpretation for the aorist participle.
However, participles can also function adverbially to denote manner, means, cause, or attendant circumstance. The initially proposed interpretation (“And with those words he dismissed the meeting”) suggests a means or manner function, implying that the very act of speaking these words constituted the dismissal. While grammatically conceivable in certain contexts, such an interpretation would require the participle to carry a simultaneous or instrumental force, which is more typically conveyed by a present/progressive participle (e.g., λέγων). Luke 11:45 provides a pertinent parallel where a present participle (λέγων) does indicate means (“by saying these things you also insult us”), underscoring the subtle but significant distinction from the aorist form.
Rhetorically, the town clerk’s preceding speech (Acts 19:35-39) is a carefully crafted address intended to diffuse tension and restore public order by appealing to legal procedure and the potential for Roman intervention. If the words themselves were the means of dismissal, it would imply a direct performative utterance of dismissal. However, his speech is a persuasive argument for dispersal, rather than a direct command to disband. Therefore, it is more plausible that the dismissal occurred after his persuasive arguments had taken effect and the crowd had calmed, making a temporal or causal-temporal relationship more fitting to the narrative flow and the rhetorical strategy of the town clerk. His words facilitated the dismissal by calming the crowd, but the dismissal itself was a separate act that followed the conclusion of his speech.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
Based on the typical grammatical function of the aorist participle and the rhetorical context of the town clerk’s speech, the temporal interpretation—where the speaking precedes the dismissal—is the most robust. While a “means” interpretation is not strictly impossible from a purely grammatical standpoint in isolation, the distinction from the present participle and the persuasive nature of the speech strongly favor a sequential understanding. Therefore, the most accurate translations emphasize the completion of the speech before the assembly’s dispersal.
- “And after he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.”
This translation strongly emphasizes the temporal sequence, indicating that the dismissal occurred subsequent to the completion of his speech, aligning with the predominant use of the aorist participle for prior action. - “Having said these things, he dismissed the assembly.”
This rendering captures the anteriority of the participle’s action more directly and concisely, aligning with the default function of the aorist participle in an adjectival-substantive role. - “With these words concluded, he dismissed the assembly.”
This option subtly blends the temporal aspect with the implication that his words achieved their intended effect, thereby making the dismissal possible, without explicitly stating the words *were* the dismissal. It suggests the words brought about a state that allowed for the subsequent dismissal.
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