List,
I am hot on the trail of another exegesis and would like some advice.
There are several things about this passage that puzzle me, given my rather rudimentary knowledge of koine.
In the opening verse Paul speaks of laying a foundation and then speaks of ALLOS EPOIKODOMEI. The NASB translates this "and another is building upon it," the NIV "and someone else is building on it." Obviously the English prep. phrase is understood. Is this a general statement of the sort, "I planted the seed, Apolos watered..." (1 Cor. 3:6)? In other words, is Paul observing that in a general sense that others are building on the foundation he has laid, or is there someone specific in mind. That is, is the ALLOS somewhat emphatic (is that the right term?)?. Paul was having problems in Corinth with Judaizers, and I was wondering if this construction seems to hint at it, ie. "another (singular) is building...." I ask this because he makes reference the possibility of sub-std. building materials.
I seem to see a much less complicated "...another builds," here. In which case I feel as though the DE is somewhat adversative, "I laid..."...but another builds," one of Paul's barbed statements that makes a point ever so subtly!
Some guidance would be appreciated.
This passage is full of interesting constructions. Another is at the end of this paragraph.
...GAR HO NAON HAGIOS ESTIN TOU QEOU HOITINES ESTE HUMEIS
I am struggling with the ambuguity of this. Is paul saying "whose temple you are" or is he saying "whose you are" in the sense of belonging to God?
One last question. What are we to make of the structure of:
...EPI TO QEMELION XPUSON, ARGURON, ETC.
How are QEMELION and the other nouns linked grammatically, is it an attributive arrangement, where the the nouns serve as adjectives describing the foundation? I can't seem to grasp it!
Please forgive me if these questions seem to be very elementary, but I seem to detect in this paragraph a veiled attempt by Paul to describe his position with respect to those who seem to be undermining his work at Corinth. I wonder if I may be reading more into the text than is really there.
Paul F. Evans
Pastor
Thunder Swamp Pentecostal Holiness Church
MT. Olive, NC
E-mail: evans@esn.net
Web-page: http://ww2.esn.net/~evans
"Endeavouring to make use of NT Greek in real life ministry!"