Wallace - Adjectival Genitives

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Description

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For the word "of" insert the paraphrase "characterized by" or "described by."
If this fits, AND if none of the other uses of the genitive fits, then the genitive is probably a genitive of description

John 2:16 μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου (do not make my Father’s house into a house of merchandise). The idea is “a house in which merchandise is sold.”

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Possession

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Instead of the word "of" replace it with "belonging to" or "possessed by." If this paraphrase fits, then the genitive is probably a genitive of possession.

Matt 26:51τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως (the slave of the high priest)

A genitive should not be labeled possessive unless this is the narrowest sense it can have

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Relationship

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The key to determining whether or not a possessive genitive is a genitive of relationship is
(1) if the noun to which the genitive is related is a family relation .noun (e.g., son, mother, etc.) or
(2) if the noun to which the genitive is related is understood (i.e., must be supplied from the context) and what one supplies is a family relation noun, then the possessive genitive is a genitive of relationship.

As well, the genitive noun is routinely a proper name.

Matt 20:20 ἡ μήτηρ τῶν υἱῶν Ζεβεδαίου (the mother of the sons of Zebedee)

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Key to Identification - Partitive Genitive

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Instead of the word "of" substitute "which is a part of."

(The tail of the dog” is possessive, while “the bumper of the car” is partitive. - the diff. being animateness)

generally includes such head substantives as: τις, ἕκαστος, and especially εἷς

Rom 11:17 τινες τῶν κλάδων (some of the branches)

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Key to Identification - Attributive Genitive

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If the noun in the genitive can be converted into an attributive adjective, modifying the noun to which the genitive stands related, then the genitive is very likely an attributive genitive. (This genitive is more emphatic than an adjective would have been)

Rom 6:6 τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας (body of sin = “sinful body”). By using the attributive gen. rather than a mere adjective, Paul laid more emphasis on the sinfulness of humanity’s condition.

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Key to Identification - Atributed Genitive

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This is the the opposite, semantically, of the attributive genitive...

If it is possible to convert the noun to which the genitive stands related into a mere adjective, then the genitive is a good candidate for this category.
One simple way to do this conversion is to omit the of in translation between the head noun and genitive, and change the head noun into its corresponding adjective. Thus “newness of life” becomes “new life.”

Rom 6:4 οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς περιπατήσωμεν (Thus also we should walk in newness of life). Here “newness of life” = “new life.” An attributive gen. would be nonsensical: “living/lively newness”!

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Material

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If the word to which this genitive is related is a noun, replace the word of with the paraphrase full of or containing. If the word is a verb, the typical translational force of the genitive is with.

Nominal: John 21:8 τὸ δίκτυον τῶν ἰχθύων (the net [full] of fish)

Verbal: John 6:13 ἐγέμισαν δώδεκα κοφίνους κλασμάτων (they filled twelve baskets with fragments)

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Discussion of the Genitive of Apposition (Epexegetical Genitive or Genitive of Definition)

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replace the word of with the paraphrase which is or that is, namely, or, if a personal noun, who is. If it does not make the same sense, a genitive of apposition is unlikely; if it does make the same sense, a genitive of apposition is likely.

In a genitive of apposition construction, the head noun: (1) will state a large category, (2) will be ambiguous, or (3) will be metaphorical in its meaning, while the genitive names a concrete or specific example that either falls within that category, clarifies its ambiguity, or brings the metaphor down to earth:
1) “the land of Egypt” (category-example)
2) “the sign of circumcision” (ambiguity-clarification)

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Discussion of the Genitive of Simple Apposition

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In simple apposition, both nouns are in the same case and the appositive does not name a specific example that falls within the category named by the noun to which it is related. Rather, it simply gives a different designation that either clarifies who is the one named or shows a different relation to the rest of the clause than what the first noun by itself could display. Both words thus have the same referent, though they describe it in different terms.

“Paul the apostle,” “the apostle” is in simple apposition to “Paul.” The appositive clarifies who is the one named. In “God, our Father,” “Father” is in simple apposition to “God” and shows a different relation to the rest of the clause than the first noun by itself could display.

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Key to Identification - Appositional Genitive (both simple and gen. of apposition)

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insert “which is,” “namely,” or “who is” between the head noun and the genitive noun. If this makes sense, an appositional genitive is likely.

If the word “of” can be used before the genitive in question, then it is a genitive of apposition. If it cannot, then it is simple apposition related to another genitive.

Gen. of App: Luke 22:1 ἡ ἑορτὴ τῶν ἀζύμων (the feast of unleavened bread=“the feast, namely [the festival] of unleavened bread”)

Simple App: Matt 2:11 εἶδον τὸ παιδίον μετὰ Μαρίας τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ (they saw the child with Mary, his mother)

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Destination

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For the word of supply the paraphrase for the purpose of, destined for, toward, or into.

Rom 8:36 ἐλογίσθημεν ὡς πρόβατα σφαγῆς (we were regarded as sheep destined for slaughter)

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Key to Identification - Predicate Genitive

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makes an assertion about another genitive substantive, much like a predicate nominative does. The difference, however, is that with the predicate genitive the equative verb is a participle (in the gen. case) rather than a finite verb.

Acts 7:58 νεανίου καλουμένου Σαύλου (a young man called Saul)

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Subordination

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Specifies that which is subordinated to or under the dominion of the head noun... try the gloss "over" or something like it that suggests dominion or priority.

Matt 9:34 τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων (the ruler over the demons)

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Production/Producer

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The genitive substantive produces the noun to which it stands related.

Eph 4:3 την̀ ἑνότητα τοῦ πνεύματος (the unity of the Spirit)

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Key to Identification - Genitive of Product

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The genitive substantive is the product of the noun to which it stands related. In place of "of" provide "which produces"

Rom 15:13 ὁ θεὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος (the God of hope)

Obviously, attributive gen. will not do (“the hopeful God”?), nor will objective gen., for that would turn the head noun into a verb. “The God who produces hope [in us]” makes excellent sense.