An Exegetical Examination of Middle and Passive Voice Semantics in Pauline Epistles: Galatians 4:12-14 and Philippians 2:5-7
This exegetical study of ‘An Exegetical Examination of Middle and Passive Voice Semantics in Pauline Epistles: Galatians 4:12-14 and Philippians 2:5-7’ is based on a b-greek discussion from November 10th, 2017. The initial query concerned the interpretive significance of distinguishing between middle and passive morphoparadigms (often designated MP1 for middle and MP2 for passive forms) for verbs in passages such as Galatians 4:12-14. The post highlights specific instances of verbs like γίνομαι, εὐαγγελίζω, δέομαι, and δέχομαι, noting their morphological classifications and questioning the exegetical weight of these distinctions.
The main exegetical issue under consideration is whether the morphological categorization of a Greek verb as ‘middle’ (MP1) or ‘passive’ (MP2) inherently dictates its semantic force and thus its interpretation, or if contextual factors and the verb’s inherent lexical meaning are the primary determinants. This discussion is particularly relevant given the historical linguistic trend in Koine Greek where the semantic distinction between middle and passive voices, especially in aorist forms, became increasingly blurred, often allowing both morphological types to convey either a middle or passive sense. The question challenges the assumption that distinct morphology always signifies distinct meaning, prompting an analysis of how these forms function in Pauline usage.
Greek text (Nestle 1904): Galatians 4:12-14
Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ἐγενόμην ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν. οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε· οἴδατε δὲ ὅτι δι’ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον, καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε, ἀλλὰ ὡς ἄγγελον Θεοῦ ἐδέξασθέ με, ὡς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- In v. 12, SBLGNT uses a period after ἠδικήσατε (οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε.), whereas Nestle 1904 uses a semicolon (οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε·).
- In v. 14, SBLGNT lowercases the initial letter of θεοῦ (θεοῦ), whereas Nestle 1904 capitalizes it (Θεοῦ). These are orthographical/punctuation differences and do not affect the morphology or lexical meaning of the verbs under discussion.
Textual criticism (NA28), lexical notes (KITTEL, BDAG):
A review of NA28 for Galatians 4:12-14 reveals no significant textual variants affecting the morphology or lexical choice of the verbs central to this discussion (γίνομαι, εὐαγγελίζω, δέομαι, δέχομαι). The text remains stable concerning these forms, allowing for a focused grammatical and semantic analysis.
Lexical entries for the relevant verbs illuminate their range of meaning and typical voice usage:
- γίνομαι (BDAG, s.v. γίνομαι): This verb possesses a wide semantic range, encompassing ‘to become,’ ‘to happen,’ ‘to be,’ ‘to arise.’ The discussion highlights that while it is primarily middle/passive in form, its perfect active form γέγονα carries a middle sense (‘I have become’). Notably, earlier Greek distinguished between ἐγενόμην (middle aorist) and ἐγενήθην (passive aorist), yet in Koine, these two forms frequently became semantically interchangeable, both conveying a middle sense (e.g., ‘I became’), demonstrating a historical linguistic shift where morphology did not strictly dictate voice.
- εὐαγγελίζω (BDAG, s.v. εὐαγγελίζω): Meaning ‘to bring good news,’ ‘to proclaim the gospel.’ This verb is predominantly found in the middle or passive voice in the New Testament. Pauline usage typically favors the middle voice, with passive occurrences being less common but present. Active voice forms are notably rare, appearing only twice in Revelation. The observation that Paul usually employs the middle voice for εὐαγγελίζω suggests that a passive form might draw attention, although the underlying semantic range could still overlap with the middle.
- δέομαι (BDAG, s.v. δέομαι): Meaning ‘to pray,’ ‘to beg,’ ‘to implore.’ This verb is almost exclusively attested in the middle voice throughout the New Testament, with only a singular instance in Paul’s writings appearing in a passive morphological form. This consistency reinforces the idea that for some verbs, a particular voice form (in this case, middle) is conventional regardless of the morphological options.
- δέχομαι (BDAG, s.v. δέχομαι): Meaning ‘to receive,’ ‘to welcome.’ The post specifically points to Paul’s use of the passive morphological form ἐδέξασθε in Galatians 4:14, contrasting it with a more common middle form. This highlights another instance where a passive morphological paradigm (MP2) can convey an active-like or middle sense (‘you received me’ rather than ‘you were received by me’), indicating that context is paramount for determining the semantic voice.
Translation Variants
An analysis of the key verbs in Galatians 4:12-14, with reference to Philippians 2:5-7, reveals the complexities of interpreting middle and passive voice morphology:
- Γίνεσθε (Gal. 4:12): This is a present imperative, middle/passive morphology (MP2). While morphologically passive, the injunction “Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ” (“become as I am”) clearly demands an active, volitional participation from the Galatians. A passive interpretation (“be made as I am”) would fundamentally alter the command, suggesting an external force rather than an internal transformation. This exemplifies how a passive morphological form can carry a strong middle/active semantic force, emphasizing the subject’s involvement in the action.
- ἐγενόμην (Gal. 4:12): Aorist middle (MP1) of γίνομαι. “κἀγὼ ἐγενόμην ὡς ὑμεῖς” (“for I too became as you are“). This form directly expresses the agent’s involvement in the action of becoming. The parallelism with Γίνεσθε underscores the shared semantic ground between morphologically different voices of the same verb when the sense is ‘to become’.
- δέομαι (Gal. 4:12): Present middle (MP1) of δέομαι. “δέομαι ὑμῶν” (“I beg you“). The middle voice here is inherent to the verb’s meaning, indicating the subject’s direct and self-involved action of supplicating. This verb consistently maintains a middle semantic force, irrespective of minor morphological variations that might occur elsewhere.
- εὐηγγελισάμην (Gal. 4:13): Aorist middle (MP1) of εὐαγγελίζω. “εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον” (“I proclaimed the good news to you previously“). This form highlights Paul’s active role as the one preaching. While the verb can appear in the passive, the middle here emphasizes his direct action.
- ἐδέξασθέ (Gal. 4:14): Aorist passive (MP2) of δέχομαι. “ὡς ἄγγελον Θεοῦ ἐδέξασθέ με” (“you received me as an angel of God“). Despite its passive morphology, the context unequivocally demands an active interpretation: the Galatians were the agents performing the action of receiving. A passive translation (“you were received by me”) is nonsensical in this context. This is a prime example where the grammatical form (MP2) does not dictate the semantic voice, reinforcing the observation that context is paramount in such instances.
In Philippians 2:5-7, the sequence of verbs further illustrates this principle: τοῦτο φρονεῖτε (present imperative active, “have this mind“) commands active volition. Christ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσεν (aorist active, “emptied himself“), an active and voluntary act. His subsequent state, ἐν ὁμοιώματι ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος (aorist middle participle, “becoming in the likeness of humanity“), utilizes a middle form. The active and middle forms coherently describe Christ’s voluntary actions, indicating that even when a middle morphological form is used (γενόμενος), it continues the theme of active participation rather than passive reception. The discussion, particularly the insights attributed to Carl Conrad and Jonathan Robie, underscores that a rigid distinction based solely on MP1 vs. MP2 morphology is often unhelpful and can lead to misinterpretations. Semantic force is often a product of lexical meaning, historical linguistic drift, and immediate context rather than a strict one-to-one mapping with morphological paradigms.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
The detailed examination of verbs like γίνομαι, εὐαγγελίζω, δέομαι, and δέχομαι in Galatians 4:12-14, supplemented by Philippians 2:5-7, strongly supports the conclusion that the morphological distinction between middle (MP1) and passive (MP2) paradigms in Koine Greek, particularly in Pauline texts, does not reliably dictate the semantic voice. Instead, the inherent lexical meaning of the verb, historical linguistic trends (such as the slow convergence of aorist middle and passive forms), and the immediate contextual demands are the decisive factors for interpretation. Attempting to build theological or interpretive distinctions solely on the MP1 vs. MP2 morphology can lead to inaccurate or forced readings. The semantic range of these forms often overlaps, requiring interpreters to prioritize contextual coherence over strict morphological labels.
Here are three translation suggestions for the phrases Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ and ἐδέξασθέ με from Galatians 4:12, 14, highlighting the semantic choice:
- “Become like me, for I also became like you. You received me as an angel of God.”
This translation prioritizes the active and volitional sense of both verbs, reflecting the context of Paul’s exhortation and the Galatians’ actions, despite their varied morphological forms. It focuses on the intentional involvement of the subjects.
- “Make yourselves like me, because I, too, made myself like you. You welcomed me as an angel of God.”
This option emphasizes the self-involving aspect, particularly for γίνομαι, using “make yourselves” to convey the middle sense of active participation. For δέχομαι, “welcomed” further highlights the personal and active nature of their reception.
- “Be as I am, because I became as you are. You accepted me as a messenger of God.”
This offers a slightly more dynamic interpretation for γίνομαι by using “be as I am” to capture the desired state of being, while still maintaining the active sense. For δέχομαι, “accepted” reinforces the active mental and emotional posture of the Galatians.