Patrick A. Tiller, «Reflexive Pronouns in the New Testament», Vol. 14 (2001) 43-63
The purpose of this study is to answer two basic
questions concerning reflexive and reciprocal pronouns in the New
Testament: (1) What are the syntactic constraints on reflexives, that
determine when they may be used? (2) What are the semantic constraints
that determine when in fact they are used? In answering the first question
the author considers both reflexives and reciprocals and discuss the whole
NT; for the second, the author attempts to suggest answers for third
person reflexives and based only on the Pauline Epistles commonly
recognized as authentic.
Patrick A. Tiller
62
This passage demonstrates both the application of the rule and the prob-
lems with it. Clearly, when one «stands steadfast in his heart,» one is not the
agent of action that is received by the heart, and so the reflexive is not used.
It is equally clear that the virgin who is kept does directly receive the action
of the «keeper.» And so the reflexive is used. But in the case of acting inde-
cently toward ones virgin, the virgin does not seem to be entirely outside of
the line of action; one would expect the reflexive. In the light of the next
counter-example, it may be that the indefiniteness of the subject may have
some influence on the choice of the non-reflexive in marginal cases.
1 Cor 11:4 pa~ ajnh;r proseucovmeno~ h\ profhteuvwn kata; kefalh`~ e[cwn
`
every man praying or prophesying on head having
kataiscunei th;n kefalh;n aujtou`.
v
shames the head of-him.
Every man who has something on his head while praying or
prophesying shames his head.
According to rule (8), this should be reflexive. Perhaps the fact that the
trigger is as indefinite as possible influences the choice of the personal
pronoun. But this is not consistent. Other examples that seem equally
indefinite have the reflexive. More likely it is because the verb expresses
the point of view of the speaker and not that of the trigger.
In the next verse ajdelfovn (‘brother’) is used metaphorically of fellow
members of the church. It may be that the reflexive was not used because
«brother» is used metaphorically. It does seem that the brother (the NP
that governs the pronoun) directly receives the action of which the poten-
tial trigger is the agent.
1 Thess 4:6 to; mh; uJperbaivnein kai; pleonektei`n ejn tw'/ pravgmati
the not to-transgress and defraud in the matter
ton ajdelfo;n aujtou` ...
;
the brother of-him ...
Not to transgress and defraud his brother in this matter ...
It is possible that the reflexive is not used here because the transgres-
sion and fraud are expressed from the point of view of the writer and not
that of the subject of the sentence.
These conclusions have some significance for one’s understanding of
the next verse, which uses the reflexive according to rule (8,2).
Gal 6:8 oJ speivrwn eij~ th;n savrka eJautou` ejk th;~ sarko;~
the one-who-sows to the flesh of-himself, from the flesh
qerivsei fqoravn ...
he-shall-reap corruption ...
According to Eduard Schweizer,