Mark 2:12. middle or passive infinitive?
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Sun Mar 28 06:37:40 EST 1999
At 10:58 PM -0600 3/27/99, Moon-Ryul Jung wrote:
>According to Carl's recommendation, I try to interpret "passive
>endings" as middle unless there is an indicator for passive meaning.
>
>Here is an example from Mark 2:12.
>
>hWSTE EXISTASQAI PANTAS KAI DOXAZEIN TON QEON.
>
>Is there anyway to interpret EXISTASQAI as middle?
Absolutely; I just did a quick AcCordance search for this verb in Mark only
and found, in addition to 2;12:
Mark 3:21 KAI AKOUSANTES hOI PAR' AUTOU EXHLQON KRATHSAI AUTON: ELEGON GAR
hOTI EXESTH.
Mark 5:42 KAI EUQUS ANESTH TO KORASION KAI PERIEPATEI: HN GAR ETWN DWDEKA.
KAI EXESTHSAN [EUQUS] EKSTASEI MEGALHi
Mark 6:51 KAI ANEBH PROS AUTOUS EIS TO PLOION KAI EKOPASEN hO ANEMOS, KAI
LIAN EK PERISSOU EN hEAUTOI EXISTANTO.
Of course I could have added several others from the gospels but these are
sufficient to show usage, I think: 2:12 shows present middle infinitive,
6:51 shows imperfect middle 3 plural; 3:21 and 5:42 show the intransitive
aorist forms EXESTH and EXESTHSAN. There is in none of these an indication
of an agent or external cause; depending on the context, the verb means "be
beside oneself," whether in a state of amazement (2:12, 3:21, 5:42) or
insanity (6:51) or (although this usage of the middle voice doesn't appear
in the NT) it is used of mystical exaltation--and in that sense is the
ultimate source of the English word "ecstasy." In Acts 8:9 and 8:11 the
verb is used of Simon Magus in the active for his power to put persons in
such a state. I'd say therefore that this verb EXISTHMI, EXISTAMAI shows
standard alternation between a causative active and intransitive middle.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics/Washington University
One Brookings Drive/St. Louis, MO, USA 63130/(314) 935-4018
Home: 7222 Colgate Ave./St. Louis, MO 63130/(314) 726-5649
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu OR cconrad at yancey.main.nc.us
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
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