From: clayton stirling bartholomew (c.s.bartholomew@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Tue Jul 13 1999 - 00:32:20 EDT
> CARIS UMIN KAI EIRHNH APO QEOU
>
> Revelation 13.15-17 is:
>
> 13.15 KAI EDOQH AUTW DOUNAI PNEUMA TH EIKONI TOU QHRIOU INA KAI
> LALHSH H EIKWN TOU QHRIOU KAI POIHSH [INA] OSOI EAN MH PROSKUNHSWSIN TH
> EIKONI TOU QHRIOU APOKTANQWSIN
> 13.16 KAI POIEI PANTAS TOUS MIKROUS KAI TOUS MEGALOUS KAI TOUS
> PLOUSIOUS KAI TOUS PTWCOUS KAI TOUS ELEUQEROUS KAI TOUS DOULOUS INA
> DWSIN AUTOIS CARAGMA EPI THS CEIROS AUTWN THS DEXIAS H EPI TO METWPON
> AUTWN
> 13.17 KAI INA MH TIS DUNHTAI AGORASAI H PWLHSAI EI MH O ECWN TO
> CARAGMA TO ONOMA TOU QHRIOU H TON ARIQMON TOU ONOMATOS AUTOU
>
> Who does these things? The beast or the image of the beast?
> At least 20 persons will be blessed with the answer.
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Christian Naaktgeboren.
Christian,
This is not such a simple question. I will only answer part of it. Who
is the agent of POIHSHi in 13:15?
> 13.15 KAI EDOQH AUTW DOUNAI PNEUMA TH EIKONI TOU QHRIOU INA KAI
> LALHSH H EIKWN TOU QHRIOU KAI POIHSH [INA] OSOI EAN MH PROSKUNHSWSIN TH
> EIKONI TOU QHRIOU APOKTANQWSIN
The syntax lends itself best to seeing H EIKWN TOU QHRIOU (image of the
beast) as the agent of both LALHSHi and POIHSHi. So one could say it is
the image who both speaks and performs . . . . However, agency in this
context is a complex notion. It is ALLO QHRION (Rev 13:11) (another
beast) who is animating the image and the power to animate the image is
given to ALLO QHRION from an another source. So you see the question of
who is doing this is really quite complex. In terms of grammar the image
is the agent of both verbs but there are more things to consider here
than grammar.
Now for the commentators. H.B. Swete says that ALLO QHRION is performing
these acts using the image as an agent. G. Beale says that ALLO QHRION
is doing these things but he does not explain how he makes this work
with the syntax. D. Aune notes that the syntax makes the image the
subject of POIHSHi but then goes on to suggest that ALLO QHRION is the
"logical subject." G.B. Caird and R. H. Charles don't address the
question.
Conclusion:
I think that ALLO QHRION (another beast) is performing the action but he
is using some sort of sorcery to make the image do the talking, and it
is through this talking that the results of POIHSHi are realized .
-- Clayton Stirling Bartholomew Three Tree Point P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062--- B-Greek home page: http://sunsite.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-329W@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu
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