Revelation 3:12

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The Pendent Nominative in Revelation 3:12: A Grammatical and Textual Analysis

This exegetical study of The Pendent Nominative in Revelation 3:12: A Grammatical and Textual Analysis is based on a b-greek discussion from December 29, 2005. The discussion centers on the grammatical construction found in Revelation 3:12, specifically the phrase ὁ νικῶν, ποιήσω αὐτὸν στῦλον ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ θεοῦ μου (the one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God). Participants noted the departure from what might be considered “normal” Greek syntax, where a direct object of the verb ποιέω would typically be in the accusative case (e.g., *τὸν νικῶντα ποιήσω στῦλον*) without a resumptive pronoun. Instead, the text employs a nominative subject followed by a resumptive pronoun in the accusative case, suggesting a Semitic influence.

The primary exegetical issue concerns the linguistic origins and rhetorical function of this grammatical construction, often termed a “pendent nominative” or “left-dislocation.” Is its presence in Revelation 3:12 indicative of a Semitic linguistic background of the author, or is it a deliberate stylistic choice to achieve a particular rhetorical effect? Understanding this construction is crucial for accurately interpreting the emphasis of the divine promise to the victor and for developing nuanced translation strategies that convey the original text’s meaning and force.

Greek text (Nestle 1904)

Ὁ νικῶν ποιήσω αὐτὸν στῦλον ἐν τῷ ναῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• The Nestle 1904 text capitalizes Θεοῦ, while the SBLGNT (2010) renders it with a lowercase θεοῦ. This difference reflects varying editorial conventions regarding the capitalization of divine titles rather than a substantive textual variant.

Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)

The critical apparatus of NA28 (Novum Testamentum Graece, 28th edition) shows no significant textual variants affecting the grammatical construction under examination (ὁ νικῶν… ποιήσω αὐτὸν) in Revelation 3:12. The reading is uniformly attested across major manuscript traditions, indicating a stable textual transmission for this particular syntactic feature.

Lexical Notes:

• νικάω (BDAG): to conquer, overcome, be victorious. In the book of Revelation, this term frequently signifies spiritual triumph over adversity, evil, or persecution, often achieved through faith in Christ (e.g., Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). The present participle ὁ νικῶν emphasizes an ongoing state or characteristic of victory.
• ποιέω (BDAG): to do, make, create, appoint. Here, in the first-person future indicative (ποιήσω), it denotes a direct, volitional act by the speaker (Christ) to transform or appoint the victor.
• στῦλος (BDAG): pillar, column. Symbolically, a pillar conveys notions of stability, strength, permanence, and importance. In ancient architecture, pillars provided structural support and could also bear inscriptions or serve commemorative purposes. Kittel (TDNT vol. VII, p. 732) highlights its symbolic use in the context of support and permanence, particularly in ecclesiological discourse (e.g., Galatians 2:9). The promise to be made a pillar suggests an honored and foundational role in the divine presence.
• ναός (BDAG): temple, sanctuary. This term typically refers to the inner sanctuary of the temple, the dwelling place of God, as opposed to the broader temple precincts (ἱερόν). Kittel (TDNT vol. IV, p. 880) underscores the *ναός* as the specific locus of God’s presence and worship. To be a pillar in the temple signifies intimate proximity to God and enduring service within His divine economy.
• Θεός (BDAG): God. The possessive “my God” (τοῦ Θεοῦ μου) emphasizes the personal relationship between the speaker (Christ) and the Father, and, by extension, the deeply personal and covenantal relationship extended to the victorious believer.

Translation Variants with Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis

The construction in Revelation 3:12—Ὁ νικῶν (nominative), followed by the first-person future verb ποιήσω (I will make) and the resumptive accusative pronoun αὐτόν (him)—exemplifies a grammatical phenomenon known as a “pendent nominative” or “left-dislocation.” In this structure, a nominal element is fronted to the beginning of the clause, establishing it as the topic, and then a pronoun (resumptive pronoun) within the main clause refers back to it. Crucially, the case of the fronted element (nominative) does not grammatically agree with the case required by its function in the main clause (accusative for the object of ποιέω).

This syntax deviates from typical classical Attic Greek, where one would generally expect either the fronted element to be in the accusative case (e.g., *τὸν νικῶντα ποιήσω στῦλον*) or for the clause to be restructured to avoid the disjunction. The presence of a fronted nominative subject followed by a resumptive pronoun that does not agree in case is a characteristic feature of Semitic languages, including Biblical Hebrew and Aramaic. This construction, analogous to “Topicalization” or “Left-dislocation” structures identified in linguistic studies of Classical Arabic, serves to highlight and emphasize the initial topic, bringing it to the forefront for immediate attention.

The rhetorical effect of this pendent nominative in Revelation 3:12 is one of strong emphasis on “the one who conquers.” By isolating and fronting the subject, the text immediately directs the reader’s attention to the identity of the recipient of the promise. This serves to underscore the profound importance of spiritual victory and the specific nature of the individual to whom this significant promise is extended. It makes the promise deeply personal and conditional upon the act of overcoming, focusing the reader’s expectation on the victor before the details of the blessing are revealed.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

The grammatical construction in Revelation 3:12, characterized by a pendent nominative with a resumptive pronoun, is a stable feature of the Greek text. It represents a Semitic stylistic influence, effectively employed by the author to place emphatic stress on the identity and actions of “the one who conquers.” This stylistic choice highlights the conditionality of the promise and makes the recipient of the blessing the immediate focus of the divine declaration. Translations should strive to convey this emphasis, though direct replication of the grammatical structure might lead to awkward English.

Here are three suggested translations, each reflecting a different approach to rendering this construction:

1. “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.”
   This translation attempts to retain the grammatical structure of the Greek, including the slightly disjunctive feel of the pendent nominative, by using a comma and the resumptive pronoun ‘him.’ It emphasizes the distinct identity of the victor, mirroring the Greek’s emphatic dislocation.
2. “I will make the one who conquers a pillar in the temple of my God.”
   This rendering integrates the fronted nominative into a more standard English object construction. While grammatically smoother and more idiomatic in English, it subtly diminishes the emphatic dislocation present in the original Greek by placing the subject in a more conventional object position.
3. “As for the one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.”
   This translation uses an introductory phrase (“As for…”) to approximate the emphatic fronting of the pendent nominative in a way that is natural in English. It explicitly draws attention to the subject before the main clause, effectively conveying the rhetorical emphasis without resorting to an unidiomatic grammatical structure.

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