Re: 1 Pet. 2:5

From: David Moore (dvdmoore@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us)
Date: Fri Feb 02 1996 - 13:55:28 EST


On Fri, 2 Feb 1996, Tim McLay wrote:

> Perhaps I am missing something, and I would appreciate Carl or someone else
> pointing out the obvious, but if not, I intend on writing a note on this.
>
> 1 Pet. 2:5 has KAI\ AU0TOI\ W(S LI/QOI ZW=NTES OI0KODOMEI=SQE OI)=KOS
> PNEUMATIKO\S This is translated in the NIV as "you also, like living
> stones, are being built into a spiritual house", NRSV has "like living
> stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house". Similar
> translations are found in the RSV, KJV, and JB. Any discussion of this
> construction in several commentaries centers on the verb, passive vs.
> imperative sense.
>
> My problem, however, is "spiritual house" is in the NOMINATIVE! Each of the
> versions translates as though it were an accusative. So far, in an initial
> search of five commentaries and several grammars there has been NO
> discussion or explanation of the grammar. LSJ does not record any instances
> of OI0KODOMEI=SQE being used like a copulative.
>
> Would the grammar not result in a translation like, "you yourselves like
> living stones, a spiritual house, are being built into a holy priesthood" ???
> Am I blinded to something? Comments appreciated.

        There may be an understood EINAI here between OIKODOMEISQE and
OIKOS so that OIKOS PNEUMATIKOS is taken as a predicate nominative. EIS
hIERATEUMA... then, would need to be understood as a supplementary
thought, further explaining what it means to be "spiritual house" in the
Lord and also expanding that thought to the activities of those who serve
in such a house.

        If one were to take the passage as Tim does, OIKOS PNEUMATIKOS
would more probably be vocative than nominative, because of where it is
situated within the sentence.

David L. Moore Southeastern Spanish District
Miami, Florida of the Assemblies of God
dvdmoore@dcfreenet.seflin.lib.fl.us Department of Education
http://members.aol.com/dvdmoore



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