I wondering what the best way is to quickly and easily see who a person is addressing. For example when one is readying a statement or teaching by Jesus is there (ideally visual) way of seeing quickly who Jesus is addressing with that speech.
Well, you can get some clues by looking at the syntax of the verses in one of the Syntax graph resources, like Cascadia Syntax Graphs of the New Testament. It shows how the clauses are built, and in complicated verses it will be helpful in showing sentence structure so sub-clauses etc. don't confuse us. Matt 5:18 is an example if you open up that resource.
But this goes beyond syntax. If you have a sentence, "John, Peter, and Andrew were with Jesus when he said, 'Who do you say that I am?'" How in English would you determine if Jesus is speaking to one of the three, all three, or any two? IMHO you really can't other than by reading the text around it, and coming to a conclusion which is part opinion and may in fact be inconclusive. I don't think language highlights the target of pronouns being used in any way that's reliable outside of context.
Is that what you were wondering about?
Forum Visual Filter for Herod has examples for highlighting Herod dynasty in New Testament.
Looking at Matthew 8:1-10, noticed pronoun him used 10 times: contextually 6 refer to Jesus, 2 refer to a leper, and 2 refer to a centurion:
Wiki has Using Passage List to limit Visual Filters. Option: could create visual filters to highlight person being addressed (quick to turn visual filters on and off).
Keep Smiling [:)]
I am wondering if you can take one of the verses that you are studying (if you have a verse already being studied) and run a Bible Word Study Report on the verb related to Jesus speaking and under the Bible Word Study look at the Grammatical Relationships and look under the "Addressee" or the "Subject" tab and see the verses that relate to Jesus or God speaking. Is that what you are looking to accomplish?
I know that our Greek Geeks will chime in here but isn't it (at least partially) a matter of context and matching the pronoun to their antecedent in gender and number?
You are right, and in some cases even with a careful eye towards context and grammatical agreement the antecedent is still ambiguous.
I seem to remember a comment that Logos is working on a database that disambiguates pronouns but I could be remembering wrong.
Ill expand. Im trying to explore who Jesus was mainly addressing when he spoke about Hell, destruction as well as eternal life etc. I want to see what patters emerge from these.
Thanks for all your suggestions so far
Paul,
then I'd say do a search on:
Range: Words of Christ
Hell, destruction, punishment (etc)
And then look at the context and grammar to see whom he's addressing....
I hope that helps.
I was thinking the same...old school (sort of). Sometimes one can get to tec and not see the wood for the trees
Is there a particular passage that you are starting with?
