Paul Danove, «Distinguishing Goal and Locative Complements of New Testament Verbs of Transference.», Vol. 20 (2007) 51-66
This study develops a rigorous method for distinguishing the Goal or Locative function of dative case noun phrase and ei0j and pro/j prepositional phrase required complements of NT verbs that designate transference. The discussion examines the manner in which Greek verbs grammaticalize the event of transference and proposes a semantic feature, ±animate, which specifies whether the entity designated by the complement is or is not attributed with the characteristics of a living being. An investigation of all occurrences of the dative case, ei0j, and pro/j required verbal complements then permits a distinction in their function as either Goal or Locative based on their animacy. The study concludes with an investigation of the constraints that these verbs place on the interpretation of their required complements.
56 Paul Danove
angel (1), Jesus (6), various human beings (45), and a colt (2); and the
Ï€Ïός complement designates God (1), Jesus (15), other human beings
(35), idols (1), and Jerusalem (2)9.. All of these except idols and Jerusalem
obviously designate living beings:
They led it [the colt] to Jesus (Luke 19.35)
ἤγαγον αá½Ï„ὸν Ï€Ïὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν
When I send Artemis to you… (Titus 3,12)
ὅταν πέμψω ἈÏτεμᾶν Ï€Ïὸς σέ…..
Although no NT author would recognize idols (εἴδωλον) as animate
beings, the noun is +animate in Koine Greek, most of whose speakers
would deem idols to be appropriate recipients of offerings (1 Cor 8,4.7),
sacrifices (1 Cor 10,19) and worship (Rev 9,20)10:
You were being led to the unspeaking idols (1 Cor 12,2)
ἦτε Ï€Ïὸς Ï„á½° εἴδωλα Ï„á½° ἄφωνα…ἀπαγόμενοι.
Although cities are –animate elsewhere with verbs of transference, the
two identical occurrences in Matt 23,37 and Luke 13,34 are +animate
because “Jerusalem†realizes the subject / Agent of kill (ἀποκτείνω) and
stone (λιθοβολέω) in the same clause. Since Ï€Ïός governs a pronoun
whose antecedent is “Jerusalemâ€, the Ï€Ïός complement is +animate in
this context:
Jerusalem Jerusalem, the one killing the prophets and stoning the ones sent
to it...
ἸεÏουσαλὴμ ἸεÏουσαλὴμ, ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς Ï€Ïοφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα
τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους Ï€Ïὸς αá½Ï„ήν....
The +animate Theme / +animate Ï€Ïός complement (55 occurrences): ἄγω (10), Luke
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4,40; 18,40; 19,35; John 1,42; 9,13; 18,13; Acts 9,27; 23,18a.18b; 1 Cor 12,2; ἀναπέμπω (3),
Luke 23,7.15; Acts 25,21; ἀπάγω (3), Matt 26,57; Mark 14,53; Acts 23,17; ἀπολύω (1),
Acts 15,33; ἀποστέλλω (19), Matt 21,34. 37; 23,34.37; Mark 12,2.6.13; Luke 1,26-27; 7,3.20;
13,34; 20,10; John 1,19; 18,24; Acts 8,14; 9,38; 11,11; 2 Cor 12,17; á¼Ïπάζω (1), Rev 12,5;
κατασύÏω (1), Luke 12,58; παÏαλαμβάνω (1), John 14,3; πέμπω (10), Luke 4,26a.26b; 7,19;
John 16,7; Acts 15,25; 23,30; Eph 6,22; Phil 2,25; Col 4,8; Tit 3,12; φέÏω (6), Mark 1,32; 2,3;
9,17.19.20; 11,7. The definite null Theme with ἄγω in John 18,13 and with πέμπω in Luke
7,19 may be retrieved from the previous context.
In the LXX, εἴδωλον may designate gods (Num 25,2a; 1 Kgs 11,2.5a.5b.7) and the
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recipient of worship (Exod 20,4; Deut 5,8) and even reports (1 Sam 31,9; 2 Chr 24,18).
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