Re: Neuter article in Rom 9:5

From: Jack and Lynn Painter (jlpainter@amdg.com.ph)
Date: Fri Mar 13 1998 - 20:03:53 EST


George Blaisdell writes:
>KATA SARKA is introduced in 9:3 describing the Israelites, then
>reappears in 9:5 with TO as an emphatic that gives it much greater
>power as an attribution of the Christ. I think Paul might write like
>he talks, and if that is true, reading him aloud, as a orator almost,
>in the Greek, could be helpful...

The difficulty with this interpretation is that the article is neuter and
as far as I can see does not agree in any way with what precedes and if
intruducing an adjectival prepositional phrase would usually agree in case,
gender and number. In fact the very next article does agree with HO
XRISTOS, the well known O WN EPI PANTWN QEOS EULOGHTOS.

If one looks beyond 9:5 to 9:7 two possibilities arise, SPERMA, used twice,
and TEKNA both neuter. SPERMA is the most likely choice since it is neuter
singular (and agrees with Paul's point in Galatians 3:16). This would then
make the article kataphoric, or pointing forward to what it agrees with.

Jack Painter

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