Re: John 8:58
Posted: July 31st, 2021, 3:30 pm
Below is something I wrote up on basic sentence structure some time ago. If there are any mistakes please correct me. There would seem to be a blending of two different sentence types. One as a convertible proposition which is a complete thought and then one which requires a main verb
(the linking verb) to be used in the other sentence. So it would be a compound sentence of two equative sentences:
I am the Christ. and I am (have been, have existed) before Abraham came to be. So a blending of sentences that I have numbered type II and type IV.
Also how would one back translate I am (have been) the Messiah before Abraham came to be?
There are 5 basic sentence types:
I. The Intransitive Type
These are sentences containing a subject and an intransitive verb as the predicate. A verb that can stand alone in a verb phrase and function as the entire predicate is intransitive.
Jesus wept.-John 11:35
ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς
Types II, III, and IV --Linking (Copular) Verbs
II. The Verb "Be" Requiring Adverbs of Time or Place
Time:
The Word was present at the start.
Ἑν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος.
Place:
The Word was in God's presence.
ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν.
In Type II sentences, a form of the linking verb "be" requires an adverbial complement that completes the predicate and expresses place or time. Such complements refer to the place or time of the subject, not of the verb.
III. The Linking Verb Type with Adjectival Subject Complement
Yet the earth was invisible.
ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος.
The adjective phrase describes the noun phrase that functions as a subject. Again, because the "be" verb serves to join or link the subject to the descriptive word or phrase in the predicate, they are called "linking" verbs or "copulative" verbs. The adjective phrase that follows them functions as an adjectival subject complement also called a predicate adjective. The adjective phrase that functions as a subject complement in Type III sentences is required; it completes the predicate while providing descriptive information about the subject.
IV. The Linking Verb with Nominal Subject Complement
The Word was a god.
θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
These sentences, like those of Type III, contain verbs that link the subject with a subject complement in the predicate, but in Type IV sentences, the linking verb is followed by a nominal constituent-that is a noun phrase functioning as the subject complement. (Nominal means "functioning as a noun.") The noun or noun phrase that is linked with the linking verb always has the same referent as the subject - that is it always refers to the same person, place or thing as the subject noun phrase.
The nominal subject complements are called predicate nominatives. These nouns occur in the same case as the subject noun- the nominative case.
V. The Transitive Type
God made the heavens.
ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανόν.
As we have seen, intransitive verbs in Type I sentences require no complements. Linking verbs in Type II, III, and IV sentences have complements that refer in some way to the subject of the sentence. These four verb types contrast with transitive verbs (Type V). Verbs in Type V sentences require a noun phrase complement that refers to something or someone other than that to which the subject noun phrase refers. None of the other sentence types have this characteristic.
The second noun phrase in Type V sentences functions as a direct object. Transitive verbs require a direct object.
(the linking verb) to be used in the other sentence. So it would be a compound sentence of two equative sentences:
I am the Christ. and I am (have been, have existed) before Abraham came to be. So a blending of sentences that I have numbered type II and type IV.
Also how would one back translate I am (have been) the Messiah before Abraham came to be?
There are 5 basic sentence types:
I. The Intransitive Type
These are sentences containing a subject and an intransitive verb as the predicate. A verb that can stand alone in a verb phrase and function as the entire predicate is intransitive.
Jesus wept.-John 11:35
ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς
Types II, III, and IV --Linking (Copular) Verbs
II. The Verb "Be" Requiring Adverbs of Time or Place
Time:
The Word was present at the start.
Ἑν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος.
Place:
The Word was in God's presence.
ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν.
In Type II sentences, a form of the linking verb "be" requires an adverbial complement that completes the predicate and expresses place or time. Such complements refer to the place or time of the subject, not of the verb.
III. The Linking Verb Type with Adjectival Subject Complement
Yet the earth was invisible.
ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος.
The adjective phrase describes the noun phrase that functions as a subject. Again, because the "be" verb serves to join or link the subject to the descriptive word or phrase in the predicate, they are called "linking" verbs or "copulative" verbs. The adjective phrase that follows them functions as an adjectival subject complement also called a predicate adjective. The adjective phrase that functions as a subject complement in Type III sentences is required; it completes the predicate while providing descriptive information about the subject.
IV. The Linking Verb with Nominal Subject Complement
The Word was a god.
θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος.
These sentences, like those of Type III, contain verbs that link the subject with a subject complement in the predicate, but in Type IV sentences, the linking verb is followed by a nominal constituent-that is a noun phrase functioning as the subject complement. (Nominal means "functioning as a noun.") The noun or noun phrase that is linked with the linking verb always has the same referent as the subject - that is it always refers to the same person, place or thing as the subject noun phrase.
The nominal subject complements are called predicate nominatives. These nouns occur in the same case as the subject noun- the nominative case.
V. The Transitive Type
God made the heavens.
ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανόν.
As we have seen, intransitive verbs in Type I sentences require no complements. Linking verbs in Type II, III, and IV sentences have complements that refer in some way to the subject of the sentence. These four verb types contrast with transitive verbs (Type V). Verbs in Type V sentences require a noun phrase complement that refers to something or someone other than that to which the subject noun phrase refers. None of the other sentence types have this characteristic.
The second noun phrase in Type V sentences functions as a direct object. Transitive verbs require a direct object.