Ablative Case

The Ablative Case

The case of separation.

The Ablative of Separation

The basic idea of the Ablative is that of separation. It is that from which something departs or is separated.

The Ablative of Source

The idea of origin or source is implied when a word in the Ablative implies the personal agent or means performing the action that is expressed by a verb, usually in the passive voice, or by the verbal adjective. Some refer to this as “the Ablative of Agency.” (Direct agency or ultimate source is usually expressed by ὐπό with the Ablative, intermediate agency by διά with the Genitive and means by the Instrumental with or without ἐν). The Ablative usually is used to express personal agency or means, while the Instrumental usually expressed impersonal means.

The Ablative of Means

The Genitive may describe a person having some genital or marital relationship with another person. This relationship may extend to a household. In this usage the noun is omitted because it is clear from the context or it is well known to the recipients. The definite article usually occurs in the proper gender along with the Genitive of the person related.

The Ablative of Comparison

Comparison implied difference, distinction or separation in degree. The Ablative may also be used with the superlative degree.

The Partitive Ablative

The Ablative is used to indicate the removal of a part from the whole. It is often used with έκ or άπὀ. The emphasis is on separation, while the Genitive emphasizes kind.

The Ablative with Prepositions

The Ablative with prepositions is very common in the N.T. in every occurrence the idea of separation is prevalent. The comparative idea is involved […]

Ablative CaseLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:16:13-08:00

Genitive Case

The case of definition or description.

The Genitive of Description

This use is closest to the root idea of the case. The genitive limits a noun much like an adjective. It falls under this classification when it does not fit any other. This use is also referred to as “the Attributive Genitive” or “the Qualitative Genitive.” It emphasizes kind.

The Genitive of Possession

The Genitive frequently defines, describes, and limits by denoting ownership.

The Genitive of Relationship

The Genitive may describe a person having some genital or marital relationship with another person. This relationship may extend to a household. In this usage the noun is omitted because it is clear from the context or it is well known to the recipients. The definite article usually occurs in the proper gender along with the Genitive of the person related.

The Adverbial Genitive

The Adverbial Genitive is used to describe, define, and limit as to kind of – time, place, general reference, and measure. The emphasis is this kind and not that kind.

Genitive of Time

Kind of time is defined. It may answer the question “what kind of time?” it is this kind of time in which something takes place, it is this time and not that time.

Genitive of Place

The kind of place is defined. The idea of contact is prominent. It may answer the question “what kind of place?” The emphasis is on kind, i.e. the kind of place within which an event takes place. It is “here and not there.” It limits to a kind of place. This use does not occur frequently in the N.T., since place is usually described by the Locative.

Genitive of Reference

The […]

Genitive CaseLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:16:23-08:00

Nouns, Articles, and Cases

Nouns, Articles, and Case Endings

Case is determined by function, not form

In the Greek language, it is important to understand that the relationship of the noun to the other words in the sentence always governs the case. Hence, although Genitive and Ablative share the same endings, they are clearly distinguished within the context and function of the sentence. There are eight cases in the Greek language: Nominative, Genitive, Ablative, Dative, Locative, Instrumental, Accusative, and Vocative.

Vocative Case

The case of direct address.

The Nominative Case

The case of specific designation, the naming case.

The Genitive Case

The case of definition or description.

The Dative Case

The case of personal interest. It expresses the indirect object.

The Locative Case

The case of position or location.

The Instrumental Case

The case of means or association.

The Accusative Case

The case of limitation or extension.

© 2017 Luther Walker | All Rights Reserved | ISBN-10: 0-9993211-0-2, ISBN-13: 978-0-9993211-0-2 | This book or any potion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

Nouns, Articles, and CasesLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:23:52-08:00

The Substantial Value of the Blood of Christ Seen through the Different Cases and Prepositions used with the Blood

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Understanding the cases and how they relate to the sentence is extremely important to fully understanding what is being expressed by the author. Since in the Greek language, case is governed by function, not by form, it is important to also look at other aspects of the sentence to determine which case the noun is being used in and then in what way that case is being expressed. Prepositions are also a very significant part of the sentence and often limit the nouns to a specific case because of the function of the preposition. When it comes to the blood of Christ there are many different views; however, the more predominate ones are whether it is figurative or literal. Did Jesus shed His blood on the cross for all mankind or is the blood only being used figuratively of the work of Christ on the cross? In order to understand if a concept is figurative or literal we need to understand how it is being used in the sentence and whether the function is restricted to either figurative or literal all the time. If it is not restricted to one concept or the other, we then need to look at the meaning of the case and the context to determine if it is figurative or literal in application. As we study Scripture it becomes very clear that the blood of Christ is literal and was shed for the sins of mankind. We see this through the different cases and preposition that are used with the blood of Christ. Each case has its own sphere of understanding and expressed a completely different concept that often times must […]

The Substantial Value of the Blood of Christ Seen through the Different Cases and Prepositions used with the BloodLuther Walker2018-10-28T06:03:04-07:00

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 10

Class Notes

First Declension Nouns

The First Declension

The first declension encompasses primarily feminine nouns because they are characterized by certain endings and follow a specific pattern in their cases.

First Declension Endings:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	α / η	αι
Genitive/Ablative	ας / ης	ῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental	ᾳ / ῃ	αις
Accusative	αν / ην	ας
Vocative	α / η	αι

Nominative Singular: Ends in α or η. The naming case, typically used for the subject.

Genitive/Ablative Singular: ας or ης. Genitive expresses limitation. Ablative emphasizes source or separation.

Dative/Locative/Instrumental Singular: ᾳ or ῃ, used for indirect objects. It is the case of personal association.

Accusative Singular: αν or ην, the direct object form.

Vocative Singular: Usually identical to the nominative and used for direct address.

Plural Forms: The nominative and vocative plural end is αι, genitive/ablative is ῶν, dative/locative/instrumental is αις (for indirect objects), and accusative plural is ας.

The Article Agreement

Nouns take articles and adjectives that agree in gender, number, and case. Feminine nouns take the feminine forms of articles and adjectives, and masculine nouns take masculine forms.

Feminine Definite Article Forms:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ἡ	αἱ
Genitive/Ablative	τῆς	τῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental	τῇ	ταῖς
Accusative	τήν	τάς

Masculine Definite Article Forms:

Although the First Declension is primarily feminine, a few masculine nouns belong to this declension (e.g., μαθητής, “disciple”; νεανίας, “young man”).

The masculine article forms applied to First Declension nouns are as follows:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	ὁ	οἱ
Genitive/Ablative	τοῦ	τῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental	τῷ	τοῖς
Accusative	τόν	τούς

Examples of the article with First Declension Nouns:

Feminine First Declension Example (χώρα – “country”):
- Singular:
  - Nominative: ἡ χώρα – “the country”
  - Genitive/Ablative: τῆς χώρας – “of/from the country”
  - Dative/Locative/Instrumental: τῇ χώρᾳ – ” for/with/by the country”
  - Accusative: τήν χώραν – “the country” (direct object)
- Plural:
  - Nominative: αἱ χῶραι – “the countries”
  - Genitive/Ablative: τῶν χωρῶν – ” of/from the countries”
  - Dative/Locative/Instrumental: ταῖς χώραις – ” for/with/by the countries”

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 10Luther Walker2024-11-10T07:07:03-08:00