14

Ephesians 2

(2:1-10)

Grammatical notes = Participle: verbal (temporal) Specific Nuances of the Adverbial Participle. Temporal. Most adverbial participles belong to one of eight categories: temporal, manner, means, cause, condition, concession, purpose, or result. In relation to its controlling verb, the temporal participle answers the question, When? Three kinds of time are in view: antecedent, contemporaneous, and subsequent. The antecedent participle should be translated after doing, after he did, and so on. The contemporaneous participle should normally be translated while doing. And the subsequent participle should be translated before doing, before he does, and so on. This usage is common. The temporal participle answers the question, When? If a particular adverbial participle is to be labeled as temporal, this should be the primary element the author wishes to stress

Aorist participle. The aorist participle is normally antecedent in time to the action of the main verb. But when the aorist participle is related to an aorist main verb, the participle will often be contemporaneous (or simultaneous) to the action of the main verb With a present tense main verb, the aorist participle is usually antecedent in time. (Ephesians 2:1-10) Contextually, the threefold praise to the Godhead is in the first two instances due to Gods prior action (election, redemption). To be consistent, it should be this way for the third leg (in the least, sealing should not follow believing). In (Ephesians 2) this theme of Gods saving grace s given greater articulation. The metaphor of death in that passage as the state from which the elect were delivered gives no confidence that conversion precedes regeneration. (Rw - !!!) See Wallace, 624-25 and n33.

(2:1)

, , = false step, transgression, sin under BAGD 621b.

, , = sin under BAGD 43a.

Why is this clause in the accusative case?

Grammatical note = Dative: pure dative (reference) Dative of Reference/Respect (with reference to). Sometimes it is easy to confuse a dative of reference/respect with a dative of sphere. However, the resulting ideas frequently have the opposite meaning. In Ephesians 2:1, whether means although you were dead in the realm of your sins or although you were dead with reference to your sins makes a great deal of difference. One ought to be careful, then, in the syntactical choices he or she makes and not be guided merely by what seems to fit grammatically, but also by the context and the authors intent. See Wallace, 144-45.

Grammatical note = Dative: local dative (sphere) Dative of Sphere (in the sphere of). The dative substantive indicates the sphere or realm in which the word to which it is related takes place or exists. Normally this word is a verb, but not always. This is a common use of the dative. Before the noun in the dative supply the words in the sphere of or in the realm of.

It is easy to confuse a dative of reference/respect with a dative of sphere, even though the resulting ideas frequently have the opposite meaning. In Ephesians 2:1 whether means although you were dead in the realm of your sins or although you were dead with reference to your sins makes a great deal of difference. One ought to (see above). In general, it is safe to say that the dative of reference views the word to which the dative stands related as detached or separated somehow from the dative, while the dative of sphere views the word to which the dative stands related as incorporated within the sphere of realm of the dative There are exceptions to this rule of thumb, but in those passages that seem to violate this rule, the distinction between reference and sphere also seems to be more blurred. See Wallace, 153-54.

Grammatical note = Accusative: substantival (predicate). Predicate Accusative. The accusative substantive (or adjective) stands in predicate relation to another accusative substantive. The two will be joined by an equative verb, either an infinitive or participle. Neither type is especially frequent outside of Luke or Paul. There are two types of predicate accusatives. First that is similar to the predicate genitive and the predicate dative. It is (normally) simple apposition made emphatic by a copular in participial form.

Second the predicate accusative in which one accusative is the subject of the infinitive and the second makes an assertion about the first. It is similar to the nominative subject and predicate nominative construction, following the same principles for distinguishing them. Frequently the infinitive will be in indirect discourse. (Ephesians 2:1) is similar to John 2:9 in semantics and structure. The participle is circumstantial, most likely with a concessive force. See Wallace, 190-91.

Grammatical note = Participle: verbal (condition). Concession. The concessive participle implies that the state or action of the main verb is true in spite of the state or action of the participle. Its force is usually best translated with although. This category is relatively common. (Ephesians 2:1) although you were dead. See Wallace, 634.

(2:2)

= when(?) (predominantly in direct questions but also in indirect under BAGD 695a.

aorist active = = go about, walk around, (figurative) (of the) walk of life, live, conduct oneself under BAGD 649a.

, , = time, age, very long time, eternity, (a segment of time) age under BAGD 27a.

, , = ruler, lord, prince (of Christ), (generally of those in authority) authorities, officials under BAGD 113b.

, , = air, (of the kingdom of the air, in which spirit beings live) under BAGD 20a.

, , = freedom of choice, right (to act, decide, or dispose of ones property as one wishes) under BAGD 277b.

present active participle = = work, be at work, operate, be effective, (middle) go into effect, begin under BAGD 265a.

, , = disobedience under BAGD 82a.

Grammatical note = Relative Pronouns. Relative pronouns are so called because they relate to more than one clause. Typically, they are hinge words in that they both refer back to an antecedent in the previous clause and also function in some capacity in their own clause. For example, in the sentence The house that Jack built fell down, that refers to its antecedent (house) and heads up its own clause as well. Functions. The definite RP is ; the indefinite RP is . These two need to be treated separately as the major exegetical issues are different for each. is routinely used to link a noun or other substantive to the relative clause, which either describes, clarifies, or restricts the meaning of the noun. (Ephesians 2) The relative clauses in vv 2-3 provide a balanced structure: we walked in sin, we lived among sinners. The case for the depravity of humanity and its need for salvation in the opening verses of Eph 2 is masterfully and concisely stated. See Wallace, 336.

Grammatical note = Genitive: adjectival (possessive). Descriptive Genitive (Aporetic Genitive) (characterized by, described by). The genitive substantive describes the head noun in a loose manner. The nature of the collocation of the two nouns in this construction is usually quite ambiguous For the word of insert the paraphrase characterized by or described by. If this fits, and if none of the other uses of the genitive fits, then the genitive is probably a genitive of description. See Wallace, 80-81.

Grammatical note = Genitive: adjectival (apposition). This use of the genitive is fairly common It is sometimes lumped in together with the genitive of content or the genitive of material, though there are legitimate semantic differences among all three categories. It is also often confused with the genitive in simple apposition.

The substantive in the genitive case refers to the same thing as the substantive to which it is related. The equation is not exact. The genitive of apposition typically states a specific examples that is a part of the larger category named by the head noun. It is frequently used when the head noun is ambiguous or metaphorical (hence the name epexegetical genitive is quite appropriate).

Every genetic of apposition, like most genitive uses, can be translated with of + the genitive noun. To test whether the genitive in question is a genitive of apposition, replace the word of with the paraphrase which is or that is, namely, or, if a personal noun, who is. If it does not make the same sense, a genitive of apposition is unlikely; if it does make the same sense, a genitive of apposition is likely. See Wallace, 97-100. (Rw I found this section difficult to understand and follow.)

Compare also Ephesians 2:2 (in which is sometimes incorrectly taken as a genitive of apposition to ). See Wallace, 99-100.

Grammatical note = Genitive: adjectival (subordination). Genitive of Subordination (over). The genitive substantive specifies that which is subordinated to or under the dominion of the head noun. Instead of of supply the gloss over or something like it that suggests dominion or priority. This kind of genitive is a lexico-semantic category. Disputed examples. (Ephesians 2:2) The semantic force of subordination here would be the one who rules over the domain of the air, over the spirit Although some take as a genitive of apposition to , this is semantically impossible because such cannot occur when both nouns are personal. The idea of this text is that the devil controls non-believers externally (the environment or domain of the air) and internally (attitudes or spirit). See Wallace, 103-104.

Grammatical note = Accusative: substantival (retained object). Accusative in Simple Apposition. Though not technically a syntactical category, the accusative case can be an appositive to another substantive in the same case. An appositiona construction involves t