To, or With?
By Jonathan Mitchell
In Koine Greek, the noun cases can have more than one function, especially with prepositional phrases which do not have an expressed preposition in the text. This essay will focus on a few specific phrases, in the dative case, which we might compare to the case of our English "indirect object." The semantic range of functions that are inherent within the dative case means that the translator has the option to choose the following English prepositions that can transform the noun (the object of the preposition), via the potential case functions, into a prepositional phrase, in English. These are: to; for; by; with; in (and possibly others). The translator's choice will depend upon both the immediate and the extended contexts, as well as, "Does it make sense?" The passage which we will consider is Eph. 5:20-33.
Now here is the situation: the common NT translations most frequently offer only the English preposition, "to," for the dative case. Our readers deserve more, if other options are grammatically correct, and reasonable!
Before addressing the immediate context, let us consider a revealing statement in the passage under consideration, which will shed light upon his underlying theme by what Paul expresses toward the end of the passage, in vs. 32:
"This secret (or: mystery) is great (= important), but I am speaking unto, and into (or: laying it out with a view to) Christ, even (or: and; as well as) unto (or: into; with a view to) the called-out community (or: the called-out person; or: the summoned-forth covenant assembly)."
We suggest that the discerning reader should realize that he was not just referring to normal marital relationships, but, as with his statements earlier on in this letter, he had the new creation in mind when he used man/woman analogies for grounding his main message. In other words, vss. 22-33 should be view as lived out parables for the called-out communities to follow. So recall Eph. 2:
14. You see, He Himself is our Peace (or: continuously exists being our JOINING and harmony [of Israel with the Gentiles]) - the One making (forming; constructing; creating; producing) The Both [to be] one, and within His flesh (= physical being; or: = system-caused crucifixion) is instantly destroying (unbinding; unfastening; loosing; causing to collapse) the middle wall of the fenced enclosure (or: of the partition; which was the barrier): the enmity (cause of hate, alienation, discord and hostility; characteristics of an enemy),
15. rendering useless and inoperative (nullifying; rendering down in accord with inactivity and unemployment; abolishing) the Law (or: the custom; = the Torah) of the implanted goals (or: concerning impartations of the finished product within; from commandments; which was inward directives) consisting in decrees (or: prescribed ordinances and dogmas which are the results of opinions and perceptions of what seems right or good), to the end that He may frame (create; found and settle from a state of wildness and disorder) The Two into One qualitatively New and Different [p46 & others: common] Humanity centered within the midst of, and in union with, Himself, continuously making (progressively creating, constructing and forming) Peace by a Joining; [2 Cor. 5:17; note: these verses, may fit John Milbank's phrase, "an ontology of peace"]
16. and then should fully transfer, from a certain state to another which is quite different, The Both - centered in, and within the midst of, One Body in God (or: make completely other, while moving away from what had existed, and fully reconcile The Both, in one Body, by, to, with and for God), through the cross (execution stake) - while, in the midst of Himself, killing the enmity and discordant hatred (or: killing-off the characteristics of enemies within it). [cf 1 Cor. 10:17; Eph. 4:4; Col. 3:15]
17. And so upon coming, He brings goodness and proclaims as good news (or: as a message of ease and well-being), Peace and a Joining to you, the folks far off, and Peace from the Joining, to the people nearby.
Another disclosure from Paul is found in Gal. 3:
27. For you see (or: It follows that) as many of you folks as were immersed into Christ, at once clothed yourselves with Christ (or: were plunged into so as to be enveloped by, then saturated and permeated with, Anointing - or, the Anointed One - instantly entered within and put on [the/an] Anointing)!
28. Within [Him; us], there is not (there does not exist) Jew nor Greek (or: Hellenist); within, there is not (does not exist) slave nor freeman; within, there is NOT (does not exist) 'male and female'; for it follows that, YOU FOLKS ALL EXIST BEING ONE within Christ Jesus (or: for you see, all you people are one person, centered in, and in union with, an Anointing from Jesus).
So now let us proceed with Paul's admonitions, in Eph. 5:20-33.
20. constantly giving thanks (expressing gratitude; or: speaking of the well-being that is in grace and favor) to God, even [the] Father [p46 & others: to the Father, even God] at all times (or: always; = on all occasions) concerning all things (or: for everything; or: over all mankind), within the midst of, in the sphere of, and in union with, the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ [= the Messiah],
21. while continually setting and arranging yourselves under (placing yourselves in humble alignment; subordinating yourselves; being submissive) so as to support one another, in respect for Christ (or: in union with the reverence which is an Anointing; within Christ's fear; in reverence pertaining to, and the source of which is, [the] Anointed One [other MSS: God]) -
Take a moment to consider these inclusive, non-binary, general admonitions which Paul gives. Verse 20b is speaking about
"all things (or: for everything; or: over all mankind), within the midst of, in the sphere of, and in union with, the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ."
Now observe again, in vs. 21b,
"setting and arranging yourselves under (placing yourselves in humble alignment; subordinating yourselves; being submissive) so as to support one another."
Again, notice that Paul does not yet bring up the topic of wives and husbands, nor women and men. Now in the new covenant arrangement, both men and women are members of the called-out community, and there has been a change from the old covenant arrangements.
Before proceeding to discuss vs. 22, observe that the Greek terms of the two adult sexes carry two meanings, both of which I have on offer, first in one rendering, and then in a second, parenthetical rendering: wives/women; husbands/adult males. So, from the outset, Paul is addressing a variety of social situations. Along with vs. 32, quoted above, we suggest keeping in mind what Paul teaches us in 2 Cor. 5:17,
"Consequently, since someone [is] within Christ (or: So that if anyone [is] in union with [the] Anointed One; or: And as since a Certain One [was] in Christ), [there is] a new creation (or: [it is] a framing and founding of an essentially different kind; [he or she is] an act of creation having a fresh character, a new quality): the original things (the beginning [situations]; the archaic and primitive [arrangements]) passed by (or: went to the side). Consider! New, essentially different things have come into existence (have occurred and been birthed; or: It has become new things that are essentially different from what was habitual, before; or: He has been birthed and now exists being ones of a different kind, character and quality)." [cf Rev. 21:5]
This would suggest that the male/female relationships in the covenant communities would have undergone a change from the traditional male-dominated customs of their prior arrangements.
22. the wives with (or: to; for) their own husbands (or: the women with their own household adult males), as to, and in, (or: with; for; by) the Lord (or: the Owner; or: = Christ, or, Yahweh) -
[note: this reading follows p46, B, Clement, Origen, other church fathers & other MSS, and is the reading in Westcott and Hort, Panin, Nestle-Aland, Tasker, and is bracketed by Griesbach; however, the following reading is also in Clement, Origen, other church fathers and MSS, as well as in Aleph and A: Let the wives, by habit, be humbly aligned and placed subordinate so as to be supportive with, or for, or to, their own husbands, in the same way as with (or: in; by; for; to) the Lord],
Most modern editions follow the texts from which I took my first rendering, and notice that the statement is explanatory, an almost parenthetical, dependent clause having no verb, and it is here that we first meet the propositional phrase that is the topic of this paper: the rendering "with." Notice that, parenthetically, I also offer the options "to or for" in the first phrase, while in the second phrase on offer is: "to, in, with, for, by, the Lord," since all five of them can work in this latter phrase.
Consider the difference between "with their own husbands," and "to their own husbands." This explanatory phrase, i.e., vs. 22 (which I have set off with dashes), refers back to "one another," in vs. 21b, above. So, let us continue...
24. But in contrast, or for comparison (or: Yet further; Nevertheless), just as the called-out covenant community (summoned-forth assembly) continuously humbly aligns and places itself under for support with (or, as a passive: is normally subjected in support to or for) the Christ, thus also these women with these adult males (or: the wives to and for the husbands), in everything (or: within all; among all mankind).
If the rendering "source" sounds strange to you, consider Gen. 2:10, where,
"a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and became into four heads" (KJV, 1611).
Young reads,
"became four chief [rivers]..."
Perhaps you have heard the phrase, "the headwaters," which indicates the source. The LXX of Gen. 2:10 uses the plural 'arche' which means: beginning, origin, source. Paul is obviously speaking figuratively, in his use of the word "head" (as offered in the parenthetical rendering of 23a), not literally. We suggest that this was an allusion to Adam being the source of Eve, in Gen. 2:15-23. Reference was made to this in 1 Tim. 2:13,
"for you see, Adam was molded and formed first, thereafter (or: next), Eve."
Adam's body was the source of Eve's body, just as Christ's body is the Source of the body that is His bride. Consider what Paul says in our next quote:
In 1 Cor. 11, we read:
4. Every adult male (or: husband) habitually speaking to having well-being (or: praying) or prophesying while holding down [the; his] Source (or: having [a head-covering] on, down from [his] head), is continually bringing shame (disgrace; dishonor) to his Source (or: Head)....
8. You see, [the] mature Male is not (or: a husband does not exist being) forth from out of the midst of Woman (or: a wife), for to the contrary, [the] Woman ([the] Wife) [is] forth from out of the midst of [the] mature Male ([the] Husband)!
We again encounter Paul's Adam and Human metaphors, in 1 Cor. 15:
46. Nevertheless, the spiritual [is] not first, but rather the one having the qualities and characteristics of a soul (the soulish; psychical), then afterwards, the spiritual (that pertaining to and having the qualities of Breath-effect and Attitude).
47. The first human (person; humanity) [was/is] forth from out of the earth (Land; ground; soil), made of moist soil and dust (or: having the quality and character of moist dirt that can be poured or mounded; soilish); the Second Human (Person; Humanity; [other MSS add: {is} the Lord]) [is made] out of heaven (or: [is] from atmosphere and sky; [p46 reads: {is} spiritual]).
48. As [is] the person made of and having the character and quality of moist soil or dust (mounded or poured dirt), of such sort also [are] the people [who are] made of and have the character and quality of moist soil or dust (soil-ish folks); and likewise, as [is] the Added, Imposed, Heavenly Person (or: the one made of and having the quality and character of the added-heaven), of such sort also [are] the added, imposed, heavenly people - those made of and having the quality and character of the added, imposed, heaven (or: the finished and perfected atmosphere, or the added sky).
49. And correspondingly as we bear and wear the image (likeness; form) of the mounded, dusty person, [p46 adds: doubtless] we can and should [B reads: will continue to] also bear and wear the image (likeness; form) of the Added, Imposed, Heavenly One (or: belonging to the One having the quality and character of the finished, perfected atmosphere; or: from the fully-heaven [sphere]; of the added-sky person).
Turning to the last part of vs. 24, above, we read,
"thus also these women with these adult males (or: the wives to and for the husbands), in everything (or: within all; among all mankind)."
In the first rendering, reading "women" and "adult males" keeps the subjects general, rather than the specific "wives... husbands." This latter provides a physical, cultural understanding, but the former rendering allows us to consider what seems to us to be the thrust of Paul's message, especially when we consider vs. 32, as quoted, above. This is all about Christ and the church. It is important to love one another and to be supportive, taking a lower position. Recall what Jesus did, when washing His disciples' feet, in Jn. 13:4-15, where we read:
14. "If (or: Since) I Myself, then, the Lord and the Teacher, wash your feet, you men also are constantly indebted (obliged; continuously owe it) to be habitually washing one another's feet,
15. "for I give (or: gave) an underlying example (or: result of something pointed out as a specimen or illustration shown under your eyes) to, and for, you folks, so that just (accordingly; correspondingly) as I, Myself, do (or: did) for (to; in; among) you, you men should also be repeatedly doing.
And then there are His instructions in Mat. 23:
11. "Now the greatest (= most prominent or highest ranking) among you will continue being your attending servant, and a dispenser [to, or for, people's needs].
12. "So, whoever shall exalt (= promote) himself will be progressively humbled and brought low, and whoever shall humble himself (bring or make himself low; = demote and make himself of little significance) will continue being lifted up and exalted (= promoted).
In Lu. 22:27b Jesus told His disciples,
"Yet I Myself am in your midst as the person constantly giving attending service: dispensing."
It is with these verses in mind that we favor the reading of vs. 24 as,
"thus also these women with these adult males."
The called out communities were to be operating in accord with Kingdom realities, and in its higher realm of conduct and social interactions.
26. to the end that He may set her apart (separate her; consecrate and make her holy), cleansing (purging) [her] by the bath of the Water [that is] within a result of a flow (or: in union with a gush-effect; or: in the midst of a spoken word, a declaration, or an utterance),
27. so that He Himself could place beside Himself (or: should present to and make to stand alongside in and with Himself) an inwardly-glorious and honorable (or: held in honor and high esteem; in-glorious-array; or: inwardly-reputable; centered-in-glory) called-out community - [which] is continuously having neither spot (or: stain), nor wrinkle, nor any of such things, but to the contrary - to the end that she would continuously exist being set-apart (holy; different from the 'ordinary and profane') and flawless (unblemished; or: unblamable).
Here, again, we see that Paul's main thread is the called-out community, and Christ's goal for "her." Obviously this same spirit of Love should and would apply to the natural levels of human relations.
29. for you see, no one ever yet (at any time) hated (or: hates; radically detaches from) his own flesh (or: = family or tribe [cf Rom. 9:3, 4]; or: = his body and interior self) but rather continually intensively nourishes (feeds and supports) and warms (cherishes; comforts) it, according as also the Christ [does] the called-out community,
30. because we are (we exist continuously being) members of His Body [other MSS add: from out of His flesh and from out of His bones; cf Gen.2:23].
31. Answering this (or: In the place facing this [situation or reality]), "a man will continue leaving behind his father and mother, and he will be progressively glued (welded) to his wife (or: the woman pertaining to him), and the two will continue being [made] into one flesh (= one physical unit as though being one body)." [Gen. 2:24]
Once more, Paul intertwines references to, and a quote of, Gen. 2, with the new realities of Christ and His body. His thread of thought can easily be seen as more than how physical husbands should treat their physical wives (as beautiful and important as this is). Verse 32, below, plainly states this fact. But notice how Gen. 2:24 presents us with a picture of a joining which produces a new entity that is "one flesh." We saw this "two becoming one" in Eph. 2:14-17, quoted above.
32. This secret (or: mystery) is great (= important), but I am speaking unto, and into (or: laying it out with a view to) Christ, even (or: and; as well as) unto (or: into; with a view to) the called-out community (or: the called-out person; or: the summoned-forth covenant assembly).
He ends this passage by addressing men, as individuals, grounding them in a practical admonition, but still we can see, in the first rendering, more of a corporate setting of instruction for the men of the community, in regard to their particular interactions with the women of the called-out groups.
33. Besides, and in any case, also, you men: let each one, individually, in this way be continually accepting and urging toward unity with the woman with whom he personally interacts, so that this woman would habitually have deep respect for this adult man
(or: Moreover, you men also - individually - each one thus be continually loving his own wife as being himself, and so the result will be that the wife can habitually stand in reverential awe of, and can normally be fearing with a healthy respect for the husband).
So, in the verses above which speak of "continually setting and arranging yourselves under (placing yourselves in humble alignment; subordinating yourselves; being submissive) so as to support one another," and, "the wives with (or: to; for) their own husbands (or: the women with their own household adult males)," do you resonate more to the dative function "with," or, "to"? We did not cover the more neutral reading of the function, "for," but you can decide that for yourself. The potential function of the dative case as what is called "locative" (meaning location, sphere or position) can also apply to vs. 22, and read "the wives in union with their own husbands (or: the women in union with their own household adult males)," which yields basically the same rendering as "with."
Jonathan
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