What a splendid post, Randy! I love these last two paragraphs especially. Were you, by any remote chance, commenting on what I said about hHGIASMENOI in John 17 in my post yesterday? While I do agree with you theologically (I think there are SEVERAL points on which we DO agree theologically!) on this matter of not attaining sanctification (or mastery of Greek vocabulary--and grammar too!) in this life, I am curious about how you understand those particular verses in the "High Priestly Prayer" of John 17:17-19 and also how you understand Paul's regular appellation of his addressees in his letters as hAGIOI? And since I ask you that, let me go ahead, by way of anticipation, and indicate how I understand those passages.
(1) I understand John's gospel to view hAGIASMOS as identical with the attainment of ZWH AIWNIOS and I understand that to be a state attained simultaneously with vision of the crucified and risen Lord in faith--but I see this as a distinctive aspect of Johannine realized eschatology: the believer enters into covenant communion with the crucified-and-risen-Christ and has thereby entered into ZWH that does not end. I realize, of course, that there are futuristic eschatological passages in John's gospel, but I think this realized eschatology dominates the gospel overall, and that the futuristic passages are qualifications that bring this gospel into line with the eschatology of the synoptic gospels and Paul.
(2) In the undisputed Pauline letters I would view hAGIOS as equivalent to the proleptic sense in which believers have gained salvation (Rom 8:18-25, esp. 24, THi GAR ELPIDI ESWQHMEN) and DIKAIOSUNH: they are deemed DIKAIOI, but are in the process, through faith, of actualizing that DIKAIOSUNH (Phil 2:12-13).
I would guess that you are less uncomfortable with the use of the language of "hallowing" and "sanctification" than I am. Is that so?
At any rate, thanks again for a splendid post. I have had half a mind to re-post, in connection with this matter of vocabulary learning, a lengthy post to b-greek that I sent last winter on the subject of studying lexicon entries rather than doing a quick scan to find the meaning one wants for solution of the immediate textual problem. But it's in the archives already, and so many good things have already been said about vocabulary learning.
Regards, c