The constuction hOUTWS EXEI is an example of the use of EXEI with an
adverb to express "to be," making the adverb and an adjective, very common
(standard) in classical Greek, but less so in NT. Also standard in
classical Greek is the use of a singular verb with a neuter plural
subject, such as TAUTA. Thus TAUTA is nominative and is the subject of
EXEI. "If these things are thus..." (Better English: "If this is
so....")
Hope that helps.
________________________________________________________________________
Burton J. Rozema Phone: 708-239-4760
VP Academic Affairs FAX: 708-385-5665
Trinity Christian College email: rozema@mcs.net
Palos Heights, IL 60463
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On Fri, 12 Sep 1997, Clayton Bartholomew wrote:
> In ACTS 7:1 the high priest asks: EI TAUTA hOUTWS EXEI
>
> Fribergs and others tag TAUTA as a nominative. Why? Is it not the
> object of the transitive EXEI?
>
> One possible explanation that occurred to me was that EXEI is
> intransitive and that TAUTA hOUTWS can be read something like
> TAUTA [ESTIN] hOUTWS.
>
> Still, it seems like the simplest way to read it is EXEI transitive
> TAUTA as accusative and hOUTWS as a modifier of EXEI. Obviously I
> have missed something here. Could some one point it out?
>
>
> Clay Bartholomew
> Three Tree Point
>
>