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Ephesians 4:12-13

Jeff Smelser here, to all-

I'm a former B-Greek subscriber returning now because I need help. If my
questions have been addressed and can be found in the archives, and if
someone can tell me where they are now, just point me in the direction and
I'll take a look. Otherwise, I eagerly seek your input.

I'm working on Ephesians 4, and trying to determine if PROS TON KARTARTISMON
TWN hAGIWN in verse 12 should be understood as the intermediary result of
the aforementioned gifts, and the ultimate end is stated in the following
prepositional phrase(s), or if it's the other way around. I'm turning to you
all for help because of your Greek expertise. That is to say, I'm looking
for help with the mechanics, rather than doctrinal arguments as to why the
passage should be understood one way or the other.

Several questions occur to me which might (or might not) have bearing:

(1) if, as BAGD suggest, KATARTISMOS is equipping EIS TI (for something),
and the
"for something" here is EIS ERGON DIAKONIAS, then, clearly it is the saints who
do the ministering, and as a result of the intermediary goal of their being
perfected/equipped. QUESTION: how strong a case is there for or against
expecting
an EIS TI following KATARTISMOS?

(2) In terms of punctuation: in verse 12, should we read a break, i.e., a
comma following "the saints"?

(3) Suppose the answer to the previous question is "no", and the passage is
to be read, "for the equipping of the saints unto a work of ministry," does
the singular DIAKONIAS seem a little difficult given that the saints,
plural, were mentioned, and given that the passage stresses the contribution
of the individual saints to the body rather than the collective contribution
of the whole (vs. 16)?

and finally on verse 13,
(4) My thought is that the MEXRI KATANTHSWMEN hOI PANTES does not mean,
"till each of us
individually attain...", but that Paul speaks of the maturing of the whole.
Compare Acts 19:7 - HSAN DE hOI PANTES ANDRES hWSEI DWDEKA - "there were in
all about 12 men" - QUESTION: how certainly does the construction require
this meaning?

Help on any or all of the above would be appreciated. Thanks

Jeff Smelser
Bristow, VA
NoVa Bible Study Page
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7939