Mark 15:34

Jeffrey B. Gibson jgibson000 at mailhost.chi.ameritech.net
Thu Apr 20 12:06:49 EDT 2000


Michael Ryle wrote:

>  Mark 15:34 reports that Jesus cried out in a loud voice: ELWI ELWI
> LEMA SABACQANI;  The Jerome Commentary indicates that this is an
> Aramaic version of Psalm 22:2.  For a long time I have have been
> curious about this passage.  Why does Jesus quote the Hebrew
> scriptures in Aramaic?  On the cross under the extreme stress of the
> moment did he spontaneously translate the psalm as he knew it into his
> own spoken language?  Or was he quoting from an Aramaic source, a
> targum?  If so, why would he quote from that instead of the Hebrew
> which he surely would have known?  In the gospels when Jesus quotes
> scripture, except for this one case, I believe it's true that he
> always does so in Greek -- at least I can't think of another
> instance.  Why is this case different and what does it mean?  I'm
> curious to know if anyone else has wondered about this.

You might wish to take into account the possibility that what appears to
be Jesus' normal practice to quote Greek Scriptures is due to the fact
that this is simply a convention of the Evangelists, since they have him
teaching in Greek as well (how else to convey to a Greek speaking
audience what Jesus said?), but is not what historically was the case.

May I suggest that you also raise this question on XTalk
(www.xtalk.org), the discussion List on the Historical Jesus and
Christian origins, and/or on Kata Markon (http://metalab.unc.edu/GMark)?

Yours,

Jeffrey Gibson
--
Jeffrey B. Gibson
7423 N. Sheridan Road #2A
Chicago, Illinois 60626
e-mail jgibson000 at ameritech.net

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