From: Paul S. Dixon (dixonps@juno.com)
Date: Sat Dec 20 1997 - 12:46:07 EST
I made a mistake in my most recent post on Mt 4:3. I should have said
(my correction is in capital letters):
"My Th.M. thesis, "The Significance of the Anarthrous Predicate
Nominative in John" (endorsed by Wallace in his recent grammar),
concludes that in 94% (50 of 53) of the occurrences of the PRE-COPULATIVE
anarthrous predicate nominative in John the nuance is qualitative, as
opposed to indefinite or definite."
So sorry.
Paul Dixon
------------------------------
On Sat, 20 Dec 1997 08:36:23 -0500 Jonathan Robie <jonathan@texcel.no>
writes:
>Matt 4:3 EI hUIOS EI TOU QEOU
>
>I am still struggling with the omission of the article. To me, it seems
>that this same clause could be translated "if you are a son" in a
different
>context, e.g. if it occurred in a passage that discusses our status as
>children of God. Is it true that the only reason this is "the" son is
that
>Satan seems to be talking about one definite son of God, one who would
>be empowered to change stones into bread, etc.? Or is there something
>else that should tip me off?
>
>Jonathan
I like, "if you are God's Son" over "if you are a son of God" simply
because the latter might suggest indefiniteness. The anarthrous
construction suggests we at least consider a qualitative nuance. Studies
in the Gospel of John (and 1:1), of course, come to mind immediately.
My Th.M. thesis, "The Significance of the Anarthrous Predicate Nominative
in John" (endorsed by Wallace in his recent grammar), concludes that in
94% (50 of 53) of the occurrences of the anarthrous predicate nominative
in John the nuance is qualitative, as opposed to indefinite or definite.
Check my website (in signature file) for the concluding chapter of the
thesis. Other works only tend to support this conclusion not only in
John's Gospel but in the other NT books as well.
SIncerely and hoping not to unnecessarily re-open a can of worms during
the Christmas season,
Paul Dixon
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