Ephesians 2:5-8 and periphrastic participles

Eric Weiss (eweiss@acf.dhhs.gov)
Mon, 21 Jul 1997 12:41:05 -0700

Reading Ephesians 2:5 & 2:8, I wonder if the use of the periphrastic
participle [THi GAR - 2:8] CARITI ESTE SESWiSMENOI instead of the
indicative (i.e., CARITI SESWiSQE) - even though grammars indicate they
are often functionally equivalent - might mean the author viewed the
term as more adjectival than verbal. That is, rather than meaning to
convey the verbal (action) sense that "[it is] by grace that you were
saved (action) with its effects continuing even until now," he wants to
convey the adjectival (description) sense "[it is] by grace that you
became and continue to enjoy the state of being saved persons
(description)" - or, to REALLY paraphrase it, "it is by grace that you
are Christians."

Is this assumption (i.e., that periphrastic participles can purposely
convey a more adjectival sense than their indicative equivalents) a
valid assumption? If so, is it valid in these verses? And if a
periphrastic CAN (but need not) convey a more adjectival sense than the
indicative equivalent, is there a rule or methodology for determining
when an author is trying to emphasize the adjectival rather than the
verbal sense?

Thanks for any help!

"Eric S. Weiss"
"a little Greek, but growing..."
eweiss@gte.net
http://home1.gte.net/eweiss/index.htm