Syntax of Mark 2:2

Hultberg, Alan alan_hultberg at peter.biola.edu
Mon Apr 12 19:40:51 EDT 1999


Mark 2:2 contains the (compound?) result clause [many had gathered together]
hWSTE MHKETI CWREIN MHDE TA PROS THN QURAN.  The two alternatives to
understanding this seem to be 1) to take hWSTE MHKETI CWREIN as the primary
result ("so that [the house could] no longer contain [them]") and MHDE TA PROS
THN QURAN as an amplification of that primary result ("not even at the door")
or 2) to take MHDE TA PROS THN QURAN as the accusative "subject" of CWREIN
("so that not even the area around the door [could] contain [them] any
longer").  

A couple questions:  Which alternative is better?  Why an accusative *plural*
article (TA)?

On the first question Mark 3:20 may be instructive ([the crowd came together
again], hWSTE MH DUNASQAI AUTOUS MHDE ARTON FAGEIN); it seems to argue for the
first alternative.

Any suggestions?  

Thanks,

Alan



More information about the B-Greek mailing list