The Genitive Case This Is Appendix 17
From The Companion Bible.
"Of" is usually the sign of the
Genitive Case, though it is used also to represent fourteen different
Greek words, videlicet, from, around, away, under, beside, upon,
over, in, into, down, through, towards, with, before. Where,
however, it represents the Genitive Case of a noun, the Holy Spirit uses
it in a variety if different senses, the recognition of which is necessary
to an intelligent appreciation of the passage.
These several usages may be conveniently grouped in
the following nine classes, it being borne in mind that sometimes a
Genitive may belong to more than one class; and also, that a study of the
context will prove the surest way of determining to which
class a particular Genitive belongs, where, at first sight, it seems
difficult to classify.
1. The Genitive of Character. Hence the
emphasis is always on the adjective particle, which appears in the
original as a noun in the Genitive Case. Psalm 2: 6, Hebrew
"the hill of My holiness" = "My holy hill".
Ephesians 2:2, "Children
of disobedience" = "disobedient children".
2Thessalonians
1:7, Greek "
angels of His might " " His mighty angels ".
2. The Genitive of Origin. This marks the
source from which anything has its origin. Ezekiel 1: 1, " Visions
of God " = Visions proceeding from God. Romans 4:11,13,
"Righteousness of faith" = Righteousness coming through
faith. 2Corinthians
11:26, " Perils
of waters " = Perils occasioned by waters.
3. The Genitive of Possession. This is,
perhaps, the most frequent, and is generally unmistakable; though some
occurrences are difficult to indentify. It may be said to answer the
question "Whose?" Luke 2: 49, Greek "The
business of My Father" = My Father's business. Revelation
14:12, "The
patience of the saints" = the patience possessed by the saints.
Ephesians 6:16, "The
shield of faith" = faith's shield, which is the living Word,
Christ, Genesis 15:1. Ephesians
6:17, "The sword
of the Spirit" = the Spirit's sword, which is the written Word, the
Scriptures.
4. The Genitive of Apposition. Here the
"of" is equivalent to "that is to say", or,
"consisting of". Genesis 2: 7, "The
breath of life" = the breath, that is to say, life. John
2:21, "The
temple of His body" = the temple, that is to say, His body. Romans
4:11, "The sign
of circumcision" = the sign, that is to say, circumcision.
2Corinthians
5:1, "The house
of our tabernacle" = the house, that is to say, our tabernacle.
2Corinthians
3:17,18, "The
spirit of the Lord" = the spirit, that is to say, the Lord (Christ)
Who is the life of the old covenant, as the body without the
spirit is dead (James 2:26). 1Peter
1:1,
"Sojourners of the Dispersion" = sojourners, that is to say,
the Dispersion.
5. The Genitive Relation. This is, perhaps,
the most interesting of all; and the manner of expressing the particular
relation must be gathered from the context. Frequently the
"of" is equivalent to "pertaining to". It may
be objective, subjective, or both, e.g. 2Corinthians
5:14, "The love
of Christ", which may be the love Christ bears to us (subjective);
the love we bear to Christ (objective); or both may be true, and the
truth. Genesis 2:9, "The tree
of life" i.e. the tree which perserved life. Isaiah 55:3. Acts
13:34, "The sure
mercies of David" = pertaining, or made, to David. Matthew
6:28, "Lilies of
the field" = which grow in the field. Romans 8:36, "Sheep of
slaughter" = sheep destined for slaughter. Hebrews 11:26, "Reproach
of Christ" = reproach for Christ's sake.
6. The Genitive of Material. Denoting that of
which anything is made, hence the "of" here is equivalent to
"made of". Genesis 6: 14, "An ark of
gopher wood". Psalm 2:9, "A rod of
iron". Daniel 2:38, "This head
of gold".
7. The Genitive of Contents. Denoting that
with which anything is filled, or which it contains, hence the
"of" is equivalent to "filled with" or
"containing". 1Samuel
16:20, "A bottle
of wine". Matthew 10:42, "A cup of
cold water". Matthew 26:7, "An
alabaster box of very precious ointment". The Genitive of the
contents always follows the verb "to fill", while the vessel
filled takes the Accusative case, and the filler is put in the Dative
case, e.g. Romans 15:13, "Now the
God of hope fill you (Accusative case) with all joy and peace (Genitive
case) in (or by) believing (Dative case)". Ephesians 5:18, "Filled
with the Spirit" is the Dative case, and therefore = "by the
Spirit" -the Filler. Therefore, not "with", which
would have required the Genitive case.
8. The Genitive of Partition. Separation,
where this denotes a part taken from the whole; the "of"
being equivalent to such expressions as "share in",
"part of", or "from among". Luke
20: 35, Greek "To
attain of that world" = to attain a place in that world.
1Corinthians
15:9, "The least
of the Apostles" = the least among the Apostles.
9. Two Genitives depending on one another.
Acts 5: 32, "We are
witnesses of (Genitive of possession) Him of (i.e. in relation to,
Genitive of relation) these things". Acts 20:24, "The
Gospel of (i.e.concerning, Genitive of relation) the grace of (Genitive of
origin or possession) God".
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