Re: "gift of the Holy Spirit"

To: Jim Hill <jim@pasteur.hsf.uab.edu>
Subject: Re: "gift of the Holy Spirit"
From: Richard Wevers <weve@ursa.calvin.edu>
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1993 17:13:03 -0500 (EST)
Cc: NT-GREEK@virginia.edu
In-Reply-To: <9311102027.AA12307@pasteur.hsf.uab.edu>

 
I did not reply to the original posting.

Those who say we cannot be sure of the proper understanding are certainly
correct.

Three types of genitive, all recognized in grammars, could be possible.\

1. Subjective genitive: i.e., the Spirit is that which did the giving.
                        We might translate that as "gift given by the H.S.  
   
2. Objective genitive: i.e. The Spirit is what was given (by someone or
                       something else, presumably the Father.)
                        We might translate"the Spirit which was given"

3. Genitive of apposition: i.e., the Spirit is the gift. (Analogy in English
                             would be "city of Jerusalem", where Jerusalem
                             is the city. Trans=: "the gift, which is the 
                             Spirit.

4. Genitive of source: i.e., the gift is from the Spirit, or the Spirit is
                             where the gift came from.
                              Possible translation: "Gift which came from 
                              the Spirit."

  Two and Three come out meaning roughly the same thing, though they are
  different types of genitives. One and Four come out meaning roughly 
  the same, though grammars do distinguish them as well.

Richard F. Wevers             weve@ursa.calvin.edu
Calvin College                616-957-6294
Grand Rapids, MI. 49546

References:

"gift of the Holy Spirit"

From: Jim Hill <jim@pasteur.hsf.uab.edu>