Matthew 5:3a
Posted: June 3rd, 2011, 8:30 pm
Mat 5:3a μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι..
What might this mean?
Thank you.
What might this mean?
Thank you.
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I'm not sure what your question is - are there particular words you are asking about, or are you struggling with aspects of the grammar?Ruminator wrote:Mat 5:3a μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι..
What might this mean?
Where do you see εν? I think you really mean to ask why τῷ πνεύματι is dative?Ruminator wrote:I find this phrase completely incomprehensible, particularly the function of EN.
Is it obvious what it means, based on a good handle of the grammar? If so, what would be the grammatic principle that unlocks this?
Funk addresses this example specifically in section 703:The dative of respect (or relation) is used to denote the standard or person to which the assertion is limited (cf. the accusative of specification or respect, which is sometimes the virtual equivalent of the dative of respect, §894.6).
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(54) ἡμεῖς φύσει Ἰουδαῖοι Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature
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(55) ἐὰν μὴ περιτιμηθῆτε τῷ ἔθει τῷ Μωϋσέως, ... Acts 15:1 Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, ...
Example (56) provides the basis for comparing respect (τῷ προσώπῳ, by face) and relation (ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις, to the churches) : The former refers to that with respect to which the assertion holds, the latter denotes the person with respect to whom the assertion holds. Cf. Bl-D §197, Smyth §§1495, 1512, 1516.Code: Select all
(56) ἥμην δὲ ἀγνοούμενος τῷ προσώπῳ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Ἰουδαίας Gal 1:22 And I was unknown by sight to the churches of Judea
703. Adjective clusters with an attributive dative fall into a number of categories, depending on what the dative specifies. For convenience, noun clusters are also included here (§6990).
703.1 The dative may be a dative of respect (denoting the respect in which the attribution applies):
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(11) oἱ πτωχοὶ / τῷ πνεύματι Mt 5:3 The poor in spirit (i.e., poor with respect to spirit)
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(12) νεκροὺς [μὲν] / τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ Rom 6:11 dead to sin (i.e., dead with respect to sin)
Which raises the question of why you think it was spoken originally in Hebrew and not in Aramaic, and additionally, what you think the original word was which carried all of this extra information. Are we talking about עני οr אביון or another word? Why the need to go back into Hebrew when we don't even have a copy of a Hebrew original?Iver Larsen wrote:When the meaning is not clear it is rarely a grammatical problem, but rather a problem with a literal rendering. Although the Greek word πτωχοὶ basically means "poor", the text was first spoken in Hebrew, and the corresponding Hebrew word is much wider in its usage. It can describe a person who is totally dependent on other people to fulfill whatever need they have. They recognize and acknowledge that they need help, in this case with reference to spiritual matters. A free and more understandable translation might be: Blessed are those who acknowledge their dependence on God.
Iver Larsen
While I agree 100% with Iver here, I want to mention at this point that Ann Nyland in the Source New Testament renders thisA free and more understandable translation might be: Blessed are those who acknowledge their dependence on God.
Ruminator - I sent you a PM this morning asking you to change your user name to fit our policy on user names and profiles.Ruminator wrote:About the Hebrew suggestion... I would not expect that unless it came by way of the a Greek text to Matthew.