In this edition of the Koine Greek Video Blog, I take an example of a theological question and answer from Theodoret's (393–457 CE) Quaestiones in Genesin. The format of this work was fairly simple. After a brief introduction, Theodoret would introduce a short theological question about the book of Genesis. He would then follow the question with a relatively short answer, often in just one or two paragraphs. This is an excellent genre for learning how to talk about the Bible in Koine Greek with all the necessary meta-language. Also, it allows me to provide a transcript so that all of you can practice listening and comparing the text. Please let me know if you would also like translation.
ὁ στοῖχος ('the verse') | γένεσις α.α-α.β ('Genesis 1.1–1.2a'):
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν.
ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος ...
τὸ ἐρώτημα ('the question'):
Εἰ ἦν ἡ γῆ, πῶς ἐγένετο; λέγει γὰρ ὁ συγγραφεύς· «ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν»
ἡ ἀπόκρισις ('the response'):
Ἠλίθιον καὶ ἄγαν ἀνόητον τὸ ἐρώτημα·
ὁ γὰρ εἰπών·
«ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν»,
οὐκ ἀΐδιον ἔφη τὴν γῆν,
ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὸν οὐρανόν, ἢ σὺν τῷ οὐρανῷ
δεξαμένην τὸ εἶναι.
ἄλλως τε
οὐδὲ ἀπολύτως εἶπεν ὁ συγγραφεύς·
«ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν»,
ἀλλὰ τὸ ἑξῆς συναρμόσας,
«ἡ δὲ γῆ ἦν ἀόρατος καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος»,
τοῦτ’ ἔστιν, ἐγένετο μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ·
ἔτι δὲ ἀόρατος ἦν
ἐπικειμένου τοῦ ὕδατος,
καὶ ἀκατασκεύαστος,
μηδέπω κοσμηθεῖσα τῇ βλάστῃ,
μηδὲ ἀνθήσασα λειμῶνας καὶ ἄλση καὶ λήϊα.
Source:
Theodoret, Quaestiones in Octateuchum: Genesis, V
N. Fernández Marcos and A. Sáenz-Badillos, Theodoreti Cyrensis quaestiones in Octateuchum [Textos y Estudios «Cardenal Cisneros» 17. Madrid: Poliglota Matritense, 1979]: 3-318.