[B-Greek] Matt 16:18 EPI + dative?

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Mon Jun 16 21:54:01 EDT 2008


On Jun 16, 2008, at 3:54 PM, newsgroupstuff wrote:

> Hi.
>
> Matt. 16:18 κἀγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ   
> Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ   
> οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ...
> = KAGW DE SOI LEGW hOTI SU EI PETROS, KAI EPI TAUTHi THi PETRAi   
> OIKODOMHSW MOU THN EKKLHSIAN
>
> Regarding Matt 16:18, I have heard some people argue that because it  
> is EPI+Dative, it doesn't mean "upon" but "at" or "in front of". I  
> am not convinced, because Eph 2:20 also uses EPI+Dative and seems to  
> be of related sense, and clearly means "upon". However, in Matt  
> 7:24-26 it is EPI+Accusative, and one might have thought it would be  
> the same form in Matt 7 as Matt 16.
>
> Can someone please explain what difference there is, if any, as to  
> why a Dative is used in 16:18 and an accusative in 7:24-26? Is there  
> any particular reason why one is used and not the other in each case?

In Mt 7:24-26 we have expressions involving EPI + accusative: Matt.  
7:24  ἀνδρὶ φρονίμῳ, ὅστις ᾠκοδόμησεν  
αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν  
[ANDRI  FRONIMWi, hOSTIS WiKODOMHSEN AUTOU THN OIKIAN EPI THN  
PETRAN], ...  οὐκ ἔπεσεν, τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ  
ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν. [OUK EPESEN, TEQEMELIWTO GAR EPI THN  
PETRAN]  26 ... ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ, ὅστις  
ᾠκοδόμησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐπὶ  
τὴν ἄμμον [ANDRO MWRWi, hOSTIS WiKODOMHSEN AUTOU THN OIKIAN  
EPI THN AMMON ... ] All these involve verbs implying laying down a  
foundation UPON  or ONTO rock -- or sand. In Mt 16:18 on the other  
hand, although the same verb OIKODOMEW is used, the construction of  
EPI + dative involves stationery position, answering the question, "at  
what point is the foundation to be laid?"


Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)






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