Mark 11:22 EXETE PISTIN QEOU

Ben Crick ben.crick at argonet.co.uk
Mon Aug 24 22:37:29 EDT 1998


On Mon 24 Aug 98 (15:11:14), cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu wrote:
> (1) It may be that ECETE PISTIN QEOU represents an original Aramaic
> expression that is here translated literally into Greek. I have no
> notion whether or not this might be the case;

 Dear Carl and Steve,

 Your suggestion, Carl, sent me to the Franz Delitzsch translation of the
 GNT into Hebrew. ECETE        PISTIN QEOU      is rendered by him as:
 TeHiY-Na'          BhaKheM  'eMuNaTh-'eLoHiYM:     Literally,
 Let there be then  in you   the truth of God.

 This clearly understands ECETE as imperative; and interprets PISTIS as
 the *content* of faith (the things believed) rather than *faith* itself
 (the abstract virtue).

 Compare Hebrews 11:1, where PISTIS is defined for us as ESTIN DE PISTIS
 ELPIZOMENWN hUPOSTASIS, PRAGMATWN ELEGCOS OU BLEPOMENWN.

 So ISTM Jesus is exhorting his disciples to trust in *the things he has
 taught them* concerning God. Compare also John 14:1, PISTEUETE EIS TON QEON
 KAI EIS EME PISTEUETE, where Jesus is preparing them for the trauma of his
 forthcoming crucifixion. The first PISTEUETE is indicative, "you believe in
 God"; the second imperative, "believe also in me" ("take my word for it").
 This would tie in with your point (2), Carl (IMHO):

> (2) QEWi could not be used with ECETE because ECETE is a transitive verb
> that must take an object; you might have PISTEUETE QEWi, where PISTEUW is
> intransitive; and, as noted above, you cannot attach a dative form (QEWi)
> to a noun.

 PISTEUETE EIS TON QEON instead of either PISTEUETE QEWi or ECETE PISTIN QEOU.

 ERRWSQE,
 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
 <ben.crick at argonet.co.uk>
 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
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