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At first the student usually feels that all this involves a great amount of unnecessary
learning, but as the language becomes more familiar and the nice distinctions which these
inflexions permit are appreciated, the suitability of the Greek tongue as a medium of
revelation becomes apparent.
It is manifestly impossible for us in the present article to embark upon a systematic
examination of the use of the Greek article--Bishop Middleton's well-known treatise
runs into nearly 500 pages--and we must therefore be content with the following points,
which indicate in broad outline the way in which the article is used in the N.T.:--
(1)
DEFINITE: The, that, this. "This saying", "This persuasion", "This letter"
(John 7: 40; Gal. 5: 8; Col. 4: 16).
(2)
EMPHATIC: He parthenos, "THE virgin" (Matt. 1: 23). Ho huios, ho agepetos,
"My Son (even) THE beloved" (Matt. 3: 17).
(3)
EXPLANATIVE: "The adoption, that is to say, the redemption of our body"
(Rom. 8: 23).
(4)
PREVIOUS MENTION: Thus "the angel" (Matt. 1: 24) is the one mentioned
earlier in the narrative.
(5)
ASSUMED EXISTENCE: Thus is Gal. 1: 7, "There be some that trouble you":
Hoi tarassontes, "the troublers".
(6)
ATTRIBUTE or QUALITY: Hoi adikoi, "the unjust". This obviously refers to
the whole class, "all who are unjust".
We shall find various examples of the usage of the Greek article as we proceed with
this series. What has been said here merely prepares the way, and indicates the wide
ground covered.
#9.
Hagios, "Saint" (Eph. 1: 1).
pp. 176, 177
"THE SAINTS."--These were the addresses of this Epistle, and, in #8 of this series,
we took the opportunity presented by the first occurrence of the article to make a few
remarks upon it.
The Greek word translated "saint" is hagios, and no other word is so translated in the
A.V. Different views are entertained as to the etymology of the word. One, which is
suspect and considered fanciful, is that it is composed of a, negative and ge, "the earth",
but most lexicographers are of the opinion that it is allied to hagos, "purity", from hazo,
"to venerate". The Greek however would most certainly never have conceived of a
sanctity that was "not of the earth"--to learn that truth we are obliged to turn to the
Scriptures. Where Pagan Greek words have been adopted by the Holy Spirit, they must
be looked upon as "new creatures", so far as their pedigree is concerned, and it is from
their synonyms, associates and contexts that we must discover the meaning which
inspiration attaches to them. We are on more definite ground when we know that the