In other words, you see PATRWS hHMON KAI KURIOU IHSOU CRISTOU as "our
father, and the father of the Lord Jesus Christ". Grammatically, I think
that works.
>So why is this usually translated ...from God our father, and Master Jesus
>Christ?
First off, APO takes a genitive, which is why QEOU PATROS is genitive. These
translations assume that the APO also applies to Jesus, as in CARIS hUMIN
KAI EIRHNH APO PATRWS hHMWN KAI [APO] KURIOU IHSOU CRISTOU.
Since both translations are, I think, grammatically possible, which is more
likely? Well, similar formulations are used in many letters, where they are
less ambiguous. For instance, 2 Thess 1.1 says EN QEWi PATRI hHMWN KAI
KURIWi IHSOU CRISTWi, and Gal 1.1 says DIA IHSOU CRISTOU KAI QEOU PATROS TOU
EGEIRANTOS AUTON EK NEKRWN. I would guess that these letters are all saying
similar things, so I would tend to side with the traditional interpretation.
>Is there a precedent about how to link genitives? The way usually translated
>to me suggests polytheism.
Please explain - I don't understand why it would suggest polytheism.
Jonathan
***************************************************************************
Jonathan Robie jwrobie@mindspring.com http://www.mindspring.com/~jwrobie
POET Software, 3207 Gibson Road, Durham, N.C., 27703 http://www.poet.com
***************************************************************************