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ἴδια and ἴδιοι

Posted: February 28th, 2016, 5:48 am
by Girgis Boshra
εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. (Joh 1:11)
Why the first (ἴδια) neuter, and the second (ἴδιοι) masculine?

Re: ἴδια and ἴδιοι

Posted: February 28th, 2016, 7:56 am
by cwconrad
Girgis Boshra wrote:εἰς τὰ ἴδια ἦλθεν, καὶ οἱ ἴδιοι αὐτὸν οὐ παρέλαβον. (Joh 1:11)
Why the first (ἴδια) neuter, and the second (ἴδιοι) masculine?
οἱ ἴδιοι is a generic plural certainly indicating people of inclusive gender, for the reason that the masculine gender is used that way -- numerous adjectives have only two terminations: one undifferentiated (-ος in the 2nd decl.) matching both masculine and feminine nouns, the other matching neuter nouns). As for τὰ ἴδια as neuter, I have always understood this to refer not just to people but to all the "things" that belonged to the Logos because he was instrumental in their creation. I wouldn't hesitate to convey the sense of the verse as "He entered his own realm and his own people didn't welcome him."

Re: ἴδια and ἴδιοι

Posted: March 1st, 2016, 5:14 am
by Girgis Boshra
Many thanks for your reply Prof. Conrad