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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