Greek Word Difference....? πίστεως vs.πίστις
I feel dumb for asking this question and am trying to do a study on the word FAITH used in the NT. I see in Ephesians 6:16 the word for "faith" is written as πίστεως, where faith is written πίστις in other locations.
I am not sure how to even ask this but I think there is a difference in the meaning between them and how they relate to the context Paul is trying to explain about the armor suit we are putting on...
Also, any suggestions for a good course to start learning Koine greek? Maybe even a basic understanding of the language would help me here....
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Rob Surgenor said:
I feel dumb for asking this question and am trying to do a study on the word FAITH used in the NT. I see in Ephesians 6:16 the word for "faith" is written as πίστεως, where faith is written πίστις in other locations.
πίστεως- genitive singular feminine of πίστις which is the nominative.
There would be no difference in the basic meaning of the word.
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I appreciate your response! It still does not make sense why he would write a different form of the word for the same meaning (I am kinda seeing that this is common in the biblical language).
The depth of the greek language is intimidating to me and I am determined to learn, contextually, why he would use a genitive singular feminine form of the word and not use the other (other than the standard response that It's just the way Paul wrote it).
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τῆς πίστεως. Epexegetical genitive, linking the meaning/spiritual referent with its metaphor/literal image. Given that this is another divine provision and that the subjective activity is expressed in the following relative clause, this occurrence points not to the subjective “act of believing” (contra Lincoln, 449), but to the objective “what is believed” (Best, 601).William J. Larkin, Ephesians: A Handbook on the Greek Text (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2009), 161.0
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The genitive case can be used to show possession. For example, if the sentence “Everyone breaks the laws of God” were in Greek, “God” would be in the genitive case and have a genitive case ending.William D. Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar, ed. Verlyn D. Verbrugge and Christopher A. Beetham, Fourth Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), 53.
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Τῆς πίστεως is a gen. of appos. (“the shield, which is faith”; Best 601; Hoehner 846; Arnold 457; Larkin 161; O’Brien 479). Although this could refer to the objective aspect of that which is believed (“the faith”; Best 601; Larkin 161), it is best taken as the subjective act of confidence and trust in God (Arnold 457; Barth 2:772–73; Bruce 408; Hoehner 846; Lincoln 449; O’Brien 479–80). Lincoln comments, “Faith takes hold of God’s resources in the midst of the onslaughts of evil and produces the firm resolve which douses anything the enemy throws at the believer” (449). Faith is a theme that has reoccurred several times in Ephesians (1:13, 15, 19; 2:8; 3:12, 17; 4:5, 13; 6:23).Benjamin L. Merkle, Ephesians, ed. Andreas J. Köstenberger and Robert W. Yarbrough, Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (B&H Academic, 2016), 216–217.0
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In Greek a noun such as πίστις will change in form depending on it's function within the sentence. for example, if the noun is the subject or object of a sentence it will change in form.
In Ephesians 6:16 it is in the Genitive case. The Genitive can take on a broad range of meaning (Wallace lists over 30 uses). It is very similar to the English 'of.' What kind of shield are we to take up? A shield of faith.
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Thank you very much for all these details! I need to learn biblical greek. I am determined to read the original manuscripts without looking at an interlinear.
I will start my search for an easy, but a very in depth course.
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Rob Surgenor said:
Thank you very much for all these details! I need to learn biblical greek. I am determined to read the original manuscripts without looking at an interlinear.
I will start my search for an easy, but a very in depth course.
A couple of options:
Logos has a Greek Mobile Ed Course that is self paced https://www.logos.com/product/149243/mobile-ed-gk101-introduction-to-biblical-greek
Or to learn in Community you can try Biblical Mastery Academy, they meet weekly via cohorts. https://www.biblicalmastery.academy/
Here is a YouTube video about BMA- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxHJKO7YdQQ
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Very interested in the Biblical Mastery Academy. I may give it a try, but very expensive...
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Another option- Biblingo
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