Neuter Infinitive in Ignatius to the Ephesians 3.2

QUESTION

Hi Dennis,

In Ignatius to the Ephesians 3.2, it looks like τὸ ἀδιάκριτον ἡμῶν ζῆν is appositional to Ἰησοῦς Χριστός ‘Jesus Christ’. Why is this infinitival phrase neuter?

2 ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἡ ἀγάπη· οὐκ ἐᾷ· με σιωπᾶν περὶ ὑμῶν, διὰ τοῦτο προέλαβον παρακαλεῖν ὑμᾶς, ὅπως συντρέχητε τῇ γνώμῃ τοῦ θεοῦ. καὶ γὰρ Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, τὸ ἀδιάκριτον ἡμῶν ζῆν, τοῦ πατρὸς ἡ γνώμη

Rick Brannan, “Apostolic Fathers Greek-English Interlinear” (Lexham Press, 2011).

Response

Appositives, including the infinitive ones that I call epexegetical, are usually case concordant (nominative) but are not generally gender concordant (neuter). All infinitives are neuter. Look at εἶναι EINAI in Romans 4:13 .

Romans 4:13 (NA27 )

13 Οὐ γὰρ διὰ νόμου ἡ ἐπαγγελία τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἢ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ, τὸ κληρονόμον αὐτὸν εἶναι κόσμου, ἀλλὰ διὰ δικαιοσύνης πίστεως.