Elementary New Testament Greek, 2014a

6: Prepositions
Transparent (obvious) Change
Here the typical meaning of the preposition is simply added to the verb in a way that
allows us to see what each of the two components has contributed to the resulting
meaning.
English Example
Greek Example
I pay μ I go
I repay μ I go out
(re- modies the sense in an
( is a form of , meaning “out”)
obvious way)
2. Intensity Change: Here the preposition doesn’t really carry its own meaning
into the verb, but rather intensies the action of the verb (perhaps by implying
completeness, repetition, or vigor). In English, a preposition (perhaps now classied
as an adverb) will follow the verb.
English Example
Greek Example
The house is burning I destroy
The house is burning up I totally annihilate
(Totality is the issue, not the
(If the context bears this out.)
direction of burning.)
3. Untrackable Change: Sometimes the preposition signicantly alters the sense
of the simple verb in a surprising direction not easily gathered from the sense of
the preposition. While we may conjecture how the prexed preposition could have
generated the new outcome, it is better to treat the compound as a unique entity,
not as a development from the simple verb. To “understand” has nothing to do with
“standing under” anything, and “reading” has nothing to do with “knowing something
again.” Highly imaginative explanations to the contrary will likely have no basis in
linguistic or historical fact.
English Example
Greek Example
I stand I know
I understand I read
4. No Discernable Change: Sometimes the prexed preposition has not changed
the meaning of the simple verb at all. While exegetes are often tempted to “nd”
special nuances and secret meanings for Greek words, there are occasions when
such temptations ought to be resisted. If neither the context nor solid lexical study
suggests that a prex has in fact altered the sense of the simple verb, then we should
translate the simple and the compounded forms alike. Such variations of form (but
not of sense) in the GNT are often best explained as “stylistic variation.”
English Example
Greek Example
I exaggerated I come to life
I over exaggerated I come to life
(Exaggeration already involves one
in pressing over the limits of truth)
Summary of Interpretive Advice
(The compound form does not necessarily
mean that one comes to life “again.)
As we’ve already suggested, it is best to consider BDAG as our best resource as
we encounter prepositions in the GNT. BDAG will alert us to all possible senses a
preposition may have, and will often register opinions regarding specic texts with
particular difculties. In other words, it is important to know that prepositions can be
used by ancient authors with a precision we must not miss.
On the other hand as we grow in our experience, we will discover a need to avoid
quick, dogmatic conclusions when interpreting GNT prepositions. We will encounter
certain phenomena that should qualify our quest for precision. We will learn:
that some prepositions can at times overlap other prepositions in meaning;
and
that some prepositions do not always change their meaning when the case
following them changes.
In other words, a writer may shift from one preposition to another, or from one case
to another (with the same preposition) only to create stylistic variation, not a clear or
precise shift in meaning. Such variation avoids monotony, making the language itself
more interesting, attractive and memorable.
77