Hebrews 3:12 Plural imperatives Timothy Duke tduke at westpac.com.au
Sun Oct 25 20:46:12 EST 1998
Perscherbacker Syntax Cremer & Kittel “BLEPETE, ADELPHOI, MHPOTE ESTAI EN TINI hUMWN…”When I have heard sermons on this verse, the preacher often makes a point that this verse commands a <<corporate>> obligation to keep each other accountable. ie the author is NOT saying: each of you should check your own heart; but rather as a group you should keep watch over each individual. The reason they give for this interpretation is that the plural imperative is followed by a singular object. Many commentaries also refer to this & draw the same conclusion.My question is this: is this grammatically correct at all; or is it merely a preferred option etc etc. ? If so, just how far should we prefer it over the other?If the corporate version is the only way to go, how would you construct the non-corporate version?Tim DukeSydney
Perscherbacker SyntaxCremer & Kittel
Hebrews 3:12 Plural imperatives Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Mon Oct 26 06:57:12 EST 1998
Cremer & Kittel Cremer At 20:46pm -0600 10/25/98, Timothy Duke wrote:>“BLEPETE, ADELPHOI, MHPOTE ESTAI EN TINI hUMWN…”> >When I have heard sermons on this verse, the preacher often makes a point>that this verse commands a <<corporate>> obligation to keep each other>accountable. ie the author is NOT saying: each of you should check your>own heart; but rather as a group you should keep watch over each>individual. The reason they give for this interpretation is that the>plural imperative is followed by a singular object. Many commentaries also>refer to this & draw the same conclusion.> >My question is this: is this grammatically correct at all; or is it merely>a preferred option etc etc. ? If so, just how far should we prefer it over>the other?I think that the following verse makes clear that it is a corporate chargeregarding individuals: ALLA PARAKALEITE hEAUTOUS KAQ’ hEKASTHN hHMERAN,ACRIS hOU TO SHMERON KALEITAI, hINA MH SKLHRUNQHi TIS EX hUMWN APATHi THShAMARTIAS.>If the corporate version is the only way to go, how would you construct the> non-corporate version?An approach that starts with the individual but is still concerned with theintegrity of the church is Mt 18:15ff., but if what is looked for in thisquestion is how self-examination is exhorted, try Mt 6:22f. and itsparallels. If, on the other hand, the question is how Heb 3:12 might bephrased if its concern were strictly with self-exmination by eachindividual, you might have simply BLEPETE hEKASTOS hEAUTON, MHPOTE ESTAI ENTINI hUMWN ….An exhortation in the plural regarding self-governance might be seen in 1Thess 4:2f.: OIDATE GAR TINAS PARAAGGELIAS AEDWKAMEN hUMIN DIA TOU KURIOUIHSOU. TOUTO GAR ESTIN QELHMA TOU QEOU, hO hAGIASMOS hUMWN, APECESQAI hUMAWAPO THS PORNEIAS, EIDENAI hEKASTON hUMWN TO hEAUTOU SKEUOS KTASQAI ENhAGIAASMWi KAI TIMHi …Carl W. ConradDepartment of Classics/Washington UniversityOne Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu OR cconrad at yancey.main.nc.usWWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
Cremer & KittelCremer
Hebrews 3:12 Plural imperatives Timothy Duke tduke at westpac.com.au
Sun Oct 25 20:46:12 EST 1998
Perscherbacker Syntax Cremer & Kittel “BLEPETE, ADELPHOI, MHPOTE ESTAI EN TINI hUMWN…”When I have heard sermons on this verse, the preacher often makes a point that this verse commands a <<corporate>> obligation to keep each other accountable. ie the author is NOT saying: each of you should check your own heart; but rather as a group you should keep watch over each individual. The reason they give for this interpretation is that the plural imperative is followed by a singular object. Many commentaries also refer to this & draw the same conclusion.My question is this: is this grammatically correct at all; or is it merely a preferred option etc etc. ? If so, just how far should we prefer it over the other?If the corporate version is the only way to go, how would you construct the non-corporate version?Tim DukeSydney
Perscherbacker SyntaxCremer & Kittel
Hebrews 3:12 Plural imperatives Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Mon Oct 26 06:57:12 EST 1998
Cremer & Kittel Cremer At 20:46pm -0600 10/25/98, Timothy Duke wrote:>“BLEPETE, ADELPHOI, MHPOTE ESTAI EN TINI hUMWN…”> >When I have heard sermons on this verse, the preacher often makes a point>that this verse commands a <<corporate>> obligation to keep each other>accountable. ie the author is NOT saying: each of you should check your>own heart; but rather as a group you should keep watch over each>individual. The reason they give for this interpretation is that the>plural imperative is followed by a singular object. Many commentaries also>refer to this & draw the same conclusion.> >My question is this: is this grammatically correct at all; or is it merely>a preferred option etc etc. ? If so, just how far should we prefer it over>the other?I think that the following verse makes clear that it is a corporate chargeregarding individuals: ALLA PARAKALEITE hEAUTOUS KAQ’ hEKASTHN hHMERAN,ACRIS hOU TO SHMERON KALEITAI, hINA MH SKLHRUNQHi TIS EX hUMWN APATHi THShAMARTIAS.>If the corporate version is the only way to go, how would you construct the> non-corporate version?An approach that starts with the individual but is still concerned with theintegrity of the church is Mt 18:15ff., but if what is looked for in thisquestion is how self-examination is exhorted, try Mt 6:22f. and itsparallels. If, on the other hand, the question is how Heb 3:12 might bephrased if its concern were strictly with self-exmination by eachindividual, you might have simply BLEPETE hEKASTOS hEAUTON, MHPOTE ESTAI ENTINI hUMWN ….An exhortation in the plural regarding self-governance might be seen in 1Thess 4:2f.: OIDATE GAR TINAS PARAAGGELIAS AEDWKAMEN hUMIN DIA TOU KURIOUIHSOU. TOUTO GAR ESTIN QELHMA TOU QEOU, hO hAGIASMOS hUMWN, APECESQAI hUMAWAPO THS PORNEIAS, EIDENAI hEKASTON hUMWN TO hEAUTOU SKEUOS KTASQAI ENhAGIAASMWi KAI TIMHi …Carl W. ConradDepartment of Classics/Washington UniversityOne Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu OR cconrad at yancey.main.nc.usWWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
Cremer & KittelCremer