[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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