Kata Markon

[George Young <webber_young AT yahoo.com>]

Dear David:

My understanding is that PROGRAFW has two nuances of
meaning: 
1. "public writing" (spatial) 
2. "to write before" (Temporal)

As for your observations, my own inclination would be
to weigh your objections on the basis of probability
and plausibility.

Concerning your first observation: Is it really
probable that Gal. 3:2 refers to an OT quotation? 
Very improbable.  Because Paul calls that Galatian's
themselves (i.e., their eyes) as witnesses to the
writing event.  However, if someone were scrupulous
enough to only emphasize the temporal aspect of the
verb (to the detriment of context and syntax), then
perhaps he or she might end up concluding that it is
an OT quotation.

Concerning your second complaint: If Gal. 3:2 actually
does refer to the Gospel of Mark  "then it might just
as easily be taken as an anachronism indicating the
whole letter is later than it may at first appear." 
This too is improbable, because it is based on a form
of circular reasoning. (Granted, scholars do this all
the time without thinking about it).  Such reasoning
must have solid grounding, before it can be seriously
entertained.  Otherwise, well,...if a man begins to
build and doesn't finish, "then all who see will
ridicule him saying 'This man began to build and
didn't finish.'"

Concerning you third complaint, is it possible that
Gal. 3:2 is the work of an interpolator? (By
"interpolator" are your sure your don't mean
"conspirator"?).  All things are possible, but not all
things are probable. To the best of my knowledge this
is very improbable.  All our best MSS witnesses
support this reading as part of the original Galatian
letter. However, having said that, if we take
seriously what this letter suggests, especially in
relation to Mark, then *it is a plausible assumption* 
that "conspirators" are "out there" and are manifest
in writing(s).

Sincerely,

Webber Young.





--- David Hindley <dhindley AT compuserve.com> wrote:

> Webber,
> 
> <<Therefore, he reminds them that before their very
> eyes "Jesus Christ was *written down* as the
> Crucified One."  The Greek word
> here is PROEGRAFH, and refers to some form of
> written scroll/document.  That this "writting" could
> very well be the Gospel of Mark>>
> 
> 
> The verb PROGRAFW means "to write before" or
> "graphically depict" according to the lexicons. The
> form PROEGRAFH is indicative aorist
> passive 3rd person singular ("was written before").
> The only other occurrence of this form of the verb
> in the NT is Romans 15:4
> where it refers to a quote from Ps 69:10. In Eph 3:3
> (where the form is indicative aorist active 1st
> person singular) it means "I
> wrote before." This is where, I think, the
> definition of "graphically depict" actually comes
> from (that is, an interpretation to
> make sense of the use here without having to assume
> a gospel existed so early), unless the form is found
> with the same meaning in
> other Greek literature (I wouldn't know, as I don't
> have access to the TLG).
> 
> So, in Galatians it's use could refer to an OT proof
> text like it does in Romans. If the person who wrote
> that comment about Jesus
> was *really* referring to a NT gospel account, it
> might just as easily be taken as an anachronism
> indicating the whole letter is
> later than it may at first appear, or the author of
> that particular sentence is an interpolator from a
> later time.
> 
> Respectfully,
> 
> Dave Hindley
> Cleveland, Ohio USA
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gmark
> 


  
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