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Infinitive in Ignatius to the Ephesians 3:2

Posted: February 15th, 2019, 8:24 am
by Matthew Longhorn
Hi all, more infinitive questions (seems to be something I see more on the board at the moment than normal).
How does the infinitive function in the text below?
ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἡ ἀγάπη οὐκ ἐᾷ με σιωπᾶν περὶ ὑμῶν, διὰ τοῦτο προέλαβον παρακαλεῖν ὑμᾶς, ὅπως συντρέχητε τῇ γνώμῃ τοῦ θεοῦ. καὶ γὰρ Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, τὸ ἀδιάκριτον ἡμῶν ζῆν, τοῦ πατρὸς ἡ γνώμη, ὡς καὶ οἱ ἐπίσκοποι οἱ κατὰ τὰ πέρατα ὁρισθέντες ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ γνώμῃ εἰσίν.

It feels like it must be substantival, possibly appositional to Jesus Christ ("our unwavering life")?

Holmes, M. W. (1999). The Apostolic Fathers: Greek texts and English translations. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Re: Infinitive in Ignatius to the Ephesians 3:2

Posted: February 15th, 2019, 8:01 pm
by MAubrey
Yes. Sounds like you've got it.

Re: Infinitive in Ignatius to the Ephesians 3:2

Posted: February 15th, 2019, 10:17 pm
by Matthew Longhorn
Thanks Mike, so the next question... why not a noun phrase. The use of an infinitive seems somehow more dynamic than a noun given that it is a verb, but is that correct?

Re: Infinitive in Ignatius to the Ephesians 3:2

Posted: February 16th, 2019, 12:04 am
by Barry Hofstetter
Matthew Longhorn wrote: February 15th, 2019, 10:17 pm Thanks Mike, so the next question... why not a noun phrase. The use of an infinitive seems somehow more dynamic than a noun given that it is a verb, but is that correct?
To be specific, it's an articular infinitive, τό being used to make the infinitive substantive. I think in English it might be the difference between "life" and "being alive."