Mat 23:4

Blahoslav Cicel Blahoslav.Cicel at cb.cz
Fri Jan 7 01:34:19 EST 2000


Hi b-greekers.

I have a question about Mat 23:4. Jesus speakes about (to) the pharisees. He
states in v.4 that they:
- DESMEUOUSIN (3p.pl.praes.act) haevy burdens,
- EPITIQEASIN (3p.pl.praes.act) them on the shoulders of the poeple
- OU QELOUSIN (3p.pl.praes.act) KINHSAI (inf.aour.act) them nor with their
finger.

One of the possible renderings of EPITIQEIN is 'add' (BAGD to Rev22:18a), in
this context 'add by putting on' the shoulders, or 'add to that, what is already
there'. Concerning the final statement OU QELOUSIN KINHSAI Edershaim suggests,
that it means 'don't want to move away' that burden (from the shoulders of the
poeple. His comment IMO seems to be reasonable, because of the use of
KINHSAI in aorist and not KINEIN in praesens. The later could mean that they
don't want to bear the burden, but it seems that Jesus said:

The pharisees bind (continually) heavy burdens
they add them to that, what was already loaded on the shoulders of the poeple
and they don't want to move a finger in alleviating from the load.

Is this right?

Thanks,

Blaho, pastor
Church of brothers, Most, Czech rep.



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