Elementary New Testament Greek, 2014a

Exercises
I. Short Answer
1) Of what does a prepositional phrase consist?
2) What three classes of prepositional phrases are there?
3) How many different (proper) prepositions are found in the GNT?
4) How does a preposition’s “handle” differ from its “meanings?”
5) What cases can follow prepositions?
6) What does a prepositional phrase usually modify? (then, possibly
modify?)
7) Why do we call these 17 prepositions “proper” prepositions?
8) In what ways could a prexed preposition modify the meaning of a simple
verb?
9) What is a good rst step to take when exegeting a preposition in the GNT?
10) Why must one be careful (when exegeting) not always to press for exact
and precise differences between every variation between prepositional
phrases?
Solutions to Exercise I
1) It involves a preposition and a noun or pronoun (its object).
2) There are temporal prepositional phrases. There are spatial prepositional phrases. There are
conceptual prepositional phrases.
3) Only 17.
4) The “handle” is the simple translation value we memorize for pragmatic reasons. The “meanings”
are the various possible senses a preposition may have, laid out in detail in BDAG.
5) Nine (9) prepositions can be followed by only one case (whether genitive, dative or accusative).
Six (6) prepositions can be followed either by the genitive or the accusative cases. Two (2)
prepositions can be followed by any of the three oblique cases (genitive, dative, or accusative).
6) Usually a prepositional phrase modies a verb (and will be diagrammed under the verb).
Occasionally a prepositional phrase will modify a noun (and will be diagrammed under that noun).
7) These 17 can be prexed to verbs. (Prepositions that cannot be prexed to verbs are “improper.”)
8) In direct, obvious addition of the preposition’s meaning to the verb. In intensifying the meaning of
the verb. In shifting the sense of the verb to what is best thought of as a completely new, unrelated
meaning. In bringing about no discernable change at all.
9) Consult BDAG to nd the full range of possible senses for that preposition.
10) Writers may be employing stylistic variation when using: a) different prepositions in the same
sense; or 2) different cases after the same preposition, but again with no shift in sense.
II. Exercise with Prepositional Phrases
Work through list of phrases below, using a card to conceal the “answer.” [Remember,
we’re working with pragmatic “handles” here.] Work repeatedly through these
until you begin to feel comfortable with working with these prepositions and their
variations in meaning according to the case that follows.
Prepositions (9) Allowing Only One Case to Follow:
instead of the crowd
away from the crowd
out of the crowd
before the crowd
in the crowd
along with the crowd
in the midst of the crowd
into the crowd
toward the crowd
6: Prepositions
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