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Chapter 12 · Lesson 12.4 · Preposition
Preposition – ἐκ ‘from’ and vocative case
ObjectivesLearning objectives
- The morphology, syntax, and semantics of the preposition ἐκ ‘from’
- The morphology and syntax-semantics of the vocative case
VocabularyVocabulary
| Greek | Gloss | Part of speech | Paradigm |
|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ κόφινος, -ου | the basket | noun | B.a.β.i |
| ὁ χιλίαρχος, -ου | the chiliarch | noun | B.a.β.i |
| ὁ πῶλος, -ου | the colt | noun | B.a.β.i |
| κρυπτός, -ή, -όν | hidden | adjective | A.a.α |
| μεστός, -ή, -όν | full | adjective | A.a.α |
| τὸ καταπέτασμα, -ατος | the curtain | noun | B.a.β.ii |
GrammarGrammar Topic 1: Preposition – ἐκ ‘from’
This lesson has two minor grammar topics: the preposition ἐκ ‘from’ and the comparatively infrequent noun case, the vocative (found 599 times in the NT, accounting for just 2% of the nouns; abbreviated voc).
MorphologyMorphology: Preposition – ἐκ + genitive
- When the word after ἐκ begins with a vowel, the final κ changes to ξ, e.g. ἐκ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου vs. ἐξ ἀνθρώπου.
SemanticsSemantics: Preposition – ἐκ + genitive
The primary meaning of ἐκ is to come out of something. Since it specifies movement away from something, it takes the genitive case (see 4.4.3.2). Whereas ἀπό refers to movement away from something, ἐκ tends to have the idea of movement out of a container or area, as in John 17:15:
Jesus prays that his disciples would not be taken ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου [out of the world]
The disciples are currently in a physical space, and Jesus wants them to remain in that space. This idea can also be more metaphorical as in 1 Cor 9:19 where Paul says that though he is free from (ἐκ) everyone or everything, he made himself a slave to everyone. Here, ἐκ refers to being free from obligation.
The preposition ἐκ may also be used to refer to a certain number of members in a group:
But one ἐξ αὐτῶν [of them], Caiaphas … (John 11:49)
In examples like this, the number of members is ordinarily specified, and then the ἐκ-phrase gives the group which the members belong to.
Referring to the time when something begins is another use of ἐκ:
A boy has had an unclean spirit ἐκ παιδιόθεν [from childhood] (Mark 9:21)
Finally, ἐκ may also refer to the origin of something or someone. This may again represent something abstract, as in the cause of something, or it may simply refer to the place where someone is from.
ἐκ [because] of this, many of his disciples turned away from following him (John 6:66)
(Jesus is) ἐκ Ναζαρέτ [from Nazareth] (John 1:46)
(Paul is) ἐκ σπέρματος Ἀβραάμ [from the seed of Abraham] (Rom 11:1)
MorphologyMorphology: Noun – Vocative case
- fem 1st and masc/neut 2nd declension nouns are identical in the nom and voc except for the masc sg
- Identical: ἡ ἀδελφὴ ἔρχεται ‘the sister is coming’ vs. ἀδελφή, σὺ ἔρχῃ ‘sister (voc), you are coming’
- Different: ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἔρχεται ‘the person is coming’ vs. ἄνθρωπε, σὺ ἔρχῃ ‘person, you are coming’
- Most 3rd declension nouns have identical nom and voc forms (e.g. 15.3.3.1, 16.3.3.1).
- The voc article is ὦ (which is really an intj).
- Vocative forms accented on the ultima have an acute rather than a grave even if followed by another word. This is due to the pause accompanied by the vocative, normally represented by a comma immediately after it.
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (singular) | ὁ ἄνθρωπ-ος | ἡ ἀδελφ-ή | τὸ τέκν-ον |
| Vocative (singular) | ὦἄνθρωπ-ε | ὦἀδελφ-ή | ὦτέκν-ον |
| Nominative (plural) | οἱ ἄνθρωπ-οι | αἱ ἀδελφ-αί | τὰ τέκν-α |
| Vocative (plural) | ὦἄνθρωπ-οι | ὦἀδελφ-αί | ὦτέκν-α |
SyntaxSyntax-semantics: Noun – Vocative case (1 – naming the addressee; 2 – drawing attention to a statement)
Because the vocative is used to address someone, it is often found near the beginning of the clause, but it may also be found at the end. The vocative itself stands outside the clause, since it is only used to name the addressee, and is normally marked off by commas:
Τίς εἶ, κύριε; (Acts 9:5)
Who are you, lord?
That the vocative is used to call out the addressee is clear, but why would a speaker do this? Vocatives can be used to describe the addressee in a certain way (especially in relation to the speaker), such as in Acts 9:5 where Paul addresses Jesus as κύριε. Since Paul does not know who is speaking to him, this is probably not a theological statement about Jesus being lord, but it is certainly a term of respect. Paul immediately recognizes that whoever is speaking to him has authority, and he expresses this by calling him κύριε ‘lord.’ At other times, the vocative is used to draw attention to what is being said:3
We do not want you to be ignorant, ἀδελφοί [brothers], about those who have fallen asleep (1 Thess 4:13)
Paul is expressing something that he wants the Thessalonians to be aware of, and he uses the vocative not just to call them brothers, but to make sure they are paying attention to something important he is saying.
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New Testament text shown on hover: Greek from the SBLGNT, © 2010 Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0; English from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain).