[B-Greek] Mark 12:38-40
knpraise at comcast.net
knpraise at comcast.net
Wed Dec 31 07:58:29 EST 2008
If there is the translation of the text, the reading of the text and the interpretation of the reading of the translation of the text, I think you make a great point at your conclusion of your post.
John Smithson
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Paul O'Rear <paorear at microsoft.com>
> Greetings B-Greekers and Happy New Year!
>
> 38 Îαὶ á¼Î½ ÏῠδιδαÏῠαá½Ïοῦ á¼Î»ÎµÎ³ÎµÎ½, ÎλÎÏεÏε á
> ¼Ïὸ Ïῶν γÏαμμαÏÎÏν Ïῶν θελÏνÏÏν á¼Î½ ÏÏολαá
> ¿Ï ÏεÏιÏαÏεá¿Î½ καὶ á¼ÏÏαÏÎ¼Î¿á½ºÏ á¼Î½ Ïαá¿Ï á
> ¼Î³Î¿Ïαá¿Ï 39 καὶ ÏÏÏÏοκαθεδÏÎ¯Î±Ï á¼Î½ Ïαá¿Ï
> ÏÏ
ναγÏγαá¿Ï καὶ ÏÏÏÏοκλιÏÎ¯Î±Ï á¼Î½ Ïοá¿Ï δ
> είÏνοιÏ, 40 οἱ καÏεÏθίονÏÎµÏ Ïá½°Ï Î¿á¼°ÎºÎ¯Î±Ï Ïῶν
> ÏηÏῶν καὶ ÏÏοÏάÏει μακÏá½° ÏÏοÏεÏ
ÏÏμενοιΠοá
> ½Ïοι λήμÏονÏαι ÏεÏιÏÏÏÏεÏον κÏίμα.
>
> 38 KAI EN TH DIDACH AUTOU ELEGEN, BLEPETE APO TWN GRAMMATEWN TWN QELONTWN EN
> STOLAIS PERIPATEIN KAI ASPASMOUS EN TAIS AGORAIS 39 KAI PRWTOKAQEDRIAS EN TAIS
> SUNAGWGAIS KAI PRWTOKLISIAS EN TOIS DEIPNOIS 40 hOI KATESQIONTES TAS OIKIAS TWN
> CHRWN KAI PROFASEI MAKRA PROSEUCOMENOI; hOUTOI LHMYONTAI PERISSOTERON KRIMA.
>
> Problem statement:
>
> TWN GRAMMATEWN TWN QELONTWNâ¦
>
> Most translations appear to translate this passage as a round condemnation
> against all scribes, but from what I can tell the grammar doesnât really
> support it.
>
> For example,
> NIV: As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like
> to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have
> the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
> 40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will
> be punished most severely."
>
> NASB: In His teaching He was saying: "Beware of the scribes who like to walk
> around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39
> and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 who
> devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers; these will
> receive greater condemnation."
>
> RSV: And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go about
> in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places 39 and the best
> seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, 40 who devour
> widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the
> greater condemnation."
>
> KJV: And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to
> go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief
> seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour
> widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive
> greater damnation.
>
> In all of these readings, the way the English comes off (at least to this native
> speaker) is as if all scribes are guilty of these accusations.
>
> In addition, R.T. Franceâs NIGTC for The Gospel of Mark doesnât even
> consider that there may be an issue here, but merely describes the passage as a
> âblanket attack on scribes as a classâ and âwhile very much shorter than
> the extended diatribe against scribes and Pharisees in Mt. 23 â¦, it is no less
> violent and indiscriminate.â (p.489).
>
> However, from my reading of the Greek syntax, TWN GRAMMATEWN TWN QELONTWN â¦
> would essentially be a restrictive attributive participle use. The challenge is
> that there are many qualifiers tied to QELONTWN which make it then a bit awkward
> to translate.
>
> The actual sense of the verse seems like it would read more like:
>
> Watch out for the [class of] scribes desiring [or, âthat desireâ]:
> to walk around in robes, and
> greetings in the market place, and
> important seats in the synagogues, and
> places of honor at banquets
>
> Implying a âsub-classâ of scribes rather than all scribes, followed by
> another pair of attributive participles functioning like relative clauses,
> taking these types of scribes as the reference â hOI KATESQIONTES and
> PROSEUXOMENOI:
>
> The ones devouring widowsâ houses and praying long prayers for show
> or
> who devour widowsâ houses, and pray long prayers for show.
>
> While itâs possible that those bad set of characteristics may have applied to
> most scribes at that time, Iâm not sure that assumption is specifically
> warranted from this text.
>
> In addition, this passage is set in a larger setting where Jesus had just had an
> interaction with a scribe where they are both essentially in agreement (Mark
> 12:28-34) and Jesus states,
>
> ÎὠμακÏὰν εἶ á¼Ïὸ Ïá¿Ï βαÏÎ¹Î»ÎµÎ¯Î±Ï Ïοῦ θεοῦ.
> OU MAKRAN EI APO THS BASILEIAS TOU QEOU.
> âYou are not far from the Kingdom of God.â
>
> It seems to me that Mark 12:38-40 may have been more intended as contrastive
> with 12:28-34 rather than as a âblanket attack on scribes as a class.â In my
> pseudo-translation above, Iâm using âclassâ to mean âsub-classâ.
>
> Am I missing something?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Paul OâRear
> ---
> B-Greek home page: http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek
> B-Greek mailing list
> B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-greek
More information about the B-Greek
mailing list