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The true dative is used to designate the person more remotely concerned.
It is the case of personal interest, pointing out the person to
or for whom something is done. Since the dative, instrumental, and
locative share the same form, we will consider them as one case
("case" being defined as a matter of form rather than function
within the five-case system). The instrumental idea involves means and generally answers the question, "How?" The locative notion involves place and answers the question, "Where?"
Thus, a broad view of the dative case suggests that it answers one of three
questions: To/for whom? How? or Where?
A. Pure Dative Uses
The subgroups here are specific uses built on the root idea of _personal
interest_ and reference/respect.
1. Dative of Indirect Object [ to, for ]
The dative substantive is that to or for which the action of a verb
is performed. The indirect object _will only occur with a transitive
verb_. When the transitive verb is in the active voice, the indirect
object receives the direct object ("the boy hit the ball to me ");
when the verb is in the passive voice, the indirect object receives
the subject of the verb ("the ball was hit to me "). The
keys are (1) the verb must be transitive, and (2) if the dative can be
translated with to or for it is most likely indirect object.
- John 4:10 and he would have given to you living water
- Luke 1:13 Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son to you, and you will call his name John
Dative of Interest [ for the benefit of, in the interest of / to the disadvantage of, against ]
The dative substantive indicates the person (or, rarely, thing) interested
in the verbal action. The dative of advantage ( commodi) has a to or for idea, while the dative of disadvantage ( incommodi)
has an against idea.
- Matt 23:31 You testify against yourselves
- 1Cor 6:13 food is for [the benefit of] the stomach
Dative of Reference / Respect [ with reference to ]
The dative substantive is that in reference to which something is presented
as true. An author will use this dative to qualify a statement that would
otherwise typically not be true.
- Rom 6:2 How shall we who died [with reference ] to sin still live in it?
- Rom 6:11 Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God
Dative in Simple Apposition
Though not technically a syntactical category, the dative case (as well
as the other cases) can be an appositive to another substantive in the
same case. An appositional construction involves two adjacent substantives
that refer to the same person or thing and have the same syntactical relation
to the rest of the clause. The first dative substantive can belong to any dative category and the second is merely a clarification of who or
what is mentioned. Thus, the appositive "piggy-backs" on the
first dative's use, as it were.
- Matt 27:2 They handed [him] over to Pilate, the governor
- Luke 1:47 My spirit rejoices in God my Savior
B. Local Dative Uses
The subgroups here are specific uses built on the root idea of position,
whether spatial, nonphysical, or temporal.
Dative of Sphere [ in the sphere of ]
The dative substantive indicates the sphere or realm in which the word
to which it is related takes place or exists. Normally this word is a verb,
but not always.
- Acts 16:5 The churches grew in faith
- Matt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart
Dative of Time (when)
The noun in the dative indicates the time when the action of
the main verb is accomplished. The dative routinely denotes _point of
time_, answering the questioni "When?" In the eight-case system,
this would abe the locative of time. Though common enough, this usagae
is being increasingly replaced in Koine Greek with en + the dative.
- Matt 17:23 [At a point in time] on the third day he will be raised
- Matt 24:20 But pray that your flight will not be during the winter nor on the sabbath
C. Instrumental Dative Uses
This subgroups here are specific uses built on the root idea of means,
although some loosely fit under this umbrella.
Dative of Association (Accompaniment, Comitative) [ in association with ]
The dative substantive indicates the person or thing one associates
with or accompanies
- Acts 9:7 the men who were traveling with him
- 2Cor 6:14 Do not become unequally yoked [in association] with unbelievers
Dative of Manner (Adverbial Dative) [ with, in (answering "How?") ]
The dative substantive denotes the manner in which the action of the
verb is accomplished. Like many adverbs, this use of the dative answers
the question "How?" The manner can be an accompanying action,
attitude, emotion, or circumstance. Hence, such a dative noun routinely
has an abstract quality. This usage is being supplanted by en + dative
(or meta + gen) in Koine Greek.
- John 7:26 He speaks with boldness (= boldly)
- 1Cor 10:30 if I partake [of the food] with thanksgiving (= thankfully)
Dative of Means/Instrument [ by, by means of, with ]
The dative substantive is used to indicate the means or instrument by
which the verbal action is accomplished.
- Matt 8:16 He cast out the spirits by [means of] a word
- John 11:2 She wiped his feet with her hair.
Dative of Measure/ Degree of Difference [ by ]
The dative substantive, when following or preceeding a comparative adjective
or adverb, may be used to indicate the extent to which the comparison is
true or the degree of difference that exists in the comparison.
- Rom 5:8-9 While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more [literally, "more by much "], then, since we have now been justified by his blood, we will be saved from the [coming] wrath through him.
- Phil 2:12 you obeyd ... much more in my absence.
Dative of Cause [ because of ]
The dative substantive indicates the cause or basis of the action of
the verb.
- Luke 15:17 How many of my father's hirelings are overflowing in bread, but I am perishing here because of a famine?
- Rom 4:20 He did not waver because of unbelief
D. The Uses of the Dative After Certain Words
There are some uses of the dative that do not neatly fit into any of
the above categories
12. Dative Direct Object
A number of verbs take the dative as their direct object. Also, it should
be noted that such datives are usually related to verbs implying personal
relation. Thus the meanings of the verbs correspond in meaning to the basic
ideas of the pure dative.
- Heb 1:6 And let all the angels of God worship him.
13. Dative After Certain Nouns
A few nouns take datives after them. Again, the notion of personal interest
is almost always seen. This category is not particularly common. These
nouns are verbal nouns (i.e. they are cognate to a verb) Furthermore, frequently
that noun finds its counterpart in one of the verbs taking a dative direct
object
- Matt 8:34 All the city came out for a meeting with Jesus
- 1Cor 16:15 service to all the saints
14. Dative After Certain Adjectives
A few adjectives are followed by the dative case. Once again, when the
idea of personal interest appears, the dative is naturally used.
- Matt 13:31 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
- Rom 1:30 disobedient to parents
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