Jo 19:25

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Mon Oct 18 17:16:43 EDT 1999


To: Wieland Willker,

<< Jo 19:25 EISTHKEISAN DE PARA TWi STAURWi TOU IHSOU H MHTHR AUTOU KAI H 
ADELFH THS MHTROS AUTOU MARIA H TOU KLWPA KAI MARIA H MAGDALHNH >>

In my last message I noted that it is possible to construe this passage as 
two sets of name pairs: the two sister and the two Marys. I would add 
another suggestion. If John means to say that Clopas' Mary was the sister 
of the mother of Jesus, it would be more natural for him to have written:

KAI MARIA H TOU KLWPA H ADELFH THS MHTROS TOU IHSOU

(instead of: KAI H ADELFH THS MHTROS AUTOU MARIA H TOU KLWPA)

What I mean to suggest is that it would be more natural to say: "Clopas' 
Mary, the sister of Jesus' mother" than it would be to say: "the sister of 
his mother, Clopas' Mary." Or, to use another example, it would be more 
natural to say: "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother" than to say: "Simon Peter's 
brother, Andrew" (cf. Jn 1:40).

I've located one counter example, John 1:41 reads:

hEURISKEI hOUTOS PRWTON TON ADELFON TON IDION SIMWNA ...

It is perhaps possible that the normal order is altered here for rhetorical 
emphasis: "He first found his very own brother Simon ..."

I'm naturally apprehensive to state my case too strongly, since two 
scholars have posted their opinions that Jn 19:25 only refers to three 
women. And who am I to disagree? I'm just a simple house-husband whose 
vocation in life is taking care of house, wife and children. But I would 
suggest that there are perhaps three reasons why one might want to 
seriously consider understanding Jn 19:25 as referring to four women:

(a) the reason the KAI is omitted before the first MARIA is because John 
lists two sets of pairs: the two sisters and the two Marys;

(b)  the normal order is proper name first followed by an articular 
substantive of relationship in apposition; and

(c)  it would be very unusual to have two sister with the same first name.

On the other hand, I most certainly do not mean to suggest that these three 
reasons (nor even the culmination of the three) are decisive.

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com

 From Luther's Large Catechism: "Why, do you think, is the world now so 
full of unfaithfulness, shame, misery, and murder? It is because everyone 
wishes to be his or her own master, be free from all authority, care 
nothing for anyone, and do whatever he or she pleases. So God punishes one 
knave by means of another" (BoC 386.154).



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