[B-Greek] mt 28:19 (disciple)
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Thu Nov 6 06:19:03 EST 2003
At 5:59 PM -0800 11/5/03, dan senor wrote:
>Hi this is my first question and I hope it is in the scope of B-greeks
>ministry. With out doubt I am not a student of Greek and could not find
>information any where to help me with my understanding of the verse.
>
>The verb in Matt 18:19 MAQHTEUSATE:G3100{V_AAM_2P}is the only one of 4
>verb forms found in the NT that is a command (imperative). So --- it
>is the only place we are commanded (by Jesus) to go and to disciple the
>nations of the world and in verse 20 to teach them to observe all that
>Jesus had taught them.
>
>A question, if Jesus wanted us to "make" ( verb) "DISCIPLES" (noun) He
>would have used two words in Greek probably (poieite:G4160 - PAM - 2P)
>make) and the noun mathetai:G3101 (N-NPM) disciples, why did He pick the
>verb (it is the only place it appears in the Bible?)
The verb MAQHTEUW appears in secular literature, according to BDAG. While
Jesus (or Matthew citing what Jesus said and possibly converting it into
Greek) COULD have used two words (cf. Jesus to Peter and Andrew Mk 1:17
POIHSW hUMAS GENESQAI hALIEIS ANQRWPWN), I don't see why the single verb is
lesss than appropriate here. For an explanation of the choice of this verb
I'd look rather at the distinctive sense of MAQHTHS in Matthew in its
traditional Jewish sense of the student who sits at the feet of the rabbi
and appropriates all of his lore.
>It is God's job to bring people into the Kingdom, we can only teach
>those who know Jesus and are willing to follow their teacher as the
>teacher follows Jesus. Jesus knew that, what does this verse really
>teach since we can not "make disciples"???
>None of the NT writers use either the verb or the noun form of
>"DISCIPLE", why??
I think you're asking questions that don't depend upon the Greek text but
upon other assumptions that you hold or are making.
--
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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