>How do you parse PAN GAR TO PHANEROUMENON PHWS ESTIN? I think it is
>something like this:
>PAN - nom/acc sing neut noun/adjective "every"
>GAR - particle
>TO - nom/acc sing neut def.art. "the"
>PHA... - nom/acc sing neut pres. midd/pass participle "being made manifest"
>PHWS - nom sing neut noun "light"
>ESTIN - 3rd sing pres indic EINAI "is"
>
>So the lit. translation would be "light is everything which is being made
>manifest" ???!!!
I think FWS is an anarthrous predicate nominative; the participle has
the article. I think it should be translated, "for everything being
made manifest is light." FWS is qualitative; those things which are
made manifest come to have the quality of being light.
>However, Irenaeus seems to translate the phrase as if PHANEROUMENON is a
>deponent - "making manifest", so that he (quoting Ptolemy) ends up with the
>phrase "all that makes manifest is light".
>
>Moule say this can't be right and goes with the parsing I sugget as does
>Metzger.
TA DE PANTA ELEGXOMENA hUPO TOU FWTOS FANEROUTAI,
PAN GAR TO FANEROUMENON FWS ESTIN.
It would be strange for FANEROUMENON to have an active sense given
that FANEROUTAI is definitely passive. Light is the agent that
exposes/reproves TOIS ERGOIS TOIS AKARPOIS TOU SKOTOUS.
John 3:20,21 seems somewhat parallel:
PAS GAR hO FAULA PRASSWN MISEI TO FWS KAI OUK
ERXETAI PROS TO FWS, hINA MH ELEGXQHi TA ERGA
AUTOU: hO DE POIWN THN ALHQEIAN ERXETAI PROS
TO FWS, hINA FANERWQHi AUTOU TA ERGA hOTI EN QEW
ESTIN EIRGASMENA.
In Paul, I think the emphasis is on the efficacy of the light. More than
just making known the deeds of darkness, Ephesians 5:14 seems to be saying
that if something is exposed/reproved by the light, then it adopts the
qualities of the light. Jesus' saying here seems to assert that if one
comes to the light (allows himself to be reproved by the light,) then he
shows that his deeds were done in truth.
But this doesn't answer to the situation of those whose deeds are
exposed against their will. The exposure of Herod's wickedness by John
the Baptist comes to mind. It's not clear to me how Herod's situation
became light.
In Christ,
Jim Beale