[B-Greek] some lingustic questions on Jn 7:8
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Wed Jan 28 11:58:06 EST 2004
_____________
>
> Yes, TAUTHN is in the FINAL position of this clause. I believe
> it was Carl who some time ago argued for the final position as
> bearing emphasis.
I am not sure Carl would want to argue that for the demonstrative relative
to its head noun.
> I think this is what we have here.
Well, I think that if you do a comprehensive study of nouns modified by
hOUTOS you will find that the default, unmarked position is to have hOUTOS
follow the head noun, and there is no reason for that order to "stand out"
if we look at the Greek rather than the English. When it is fronted, it
indicates emphasis on that part of the meaning of the noun phrase that is
carried by hOUTOS, that is, THIS x is contrasted to another x. In the normal
position hOUTOS is not contrastive, but serves as a back reference to an
already introduced concept. (The rules for the order of noun plus
demonstrative and noun plus adjective are not the same, but that is a bigger
topic.)
> That is why it seemed to stand out to me -- it was almost like being
> slapped in the face. It comes immediately before hOTI used as a
> causal conjunction, "I'm not going up to THIS feast because . .
> ." The sequence of the narrative seems to reinforce the contrast
> between THIS feast which was the Feast of Tabernacles with the
> Feast of Passover.
I agree that this chapter takes place during the Feast of Tabernacles
(7:1-2), but the Passover is not mentioned until 11:55. Before that the
Feast of Dedication is mentioned in 10:22. As far as I can see 7:1-37 takes
place during the feast of Tabernacles. In 7:37 we hear about the last day of
that week-long feast, and it is not clear how much of the following chapters
up to 10:21 takes place on that day and how much on the following day(s) in
Jerusalem. I see no contrast anywhere to the Passover.
> Our author has Jesus appear at the feast
> incognito only to leave Jerusalem and almost promptly return for
> Passover. What could more clearly contrast the two? One is
> inclined to ask, "If he's only going to turn around and go back,
> why does he leave?" We must remember that these are carefully
> constructed documents, not simply haphazardly thrown-together
> reminiscences. The structure is there for a purpose.
Which verses support these ideas?
Iver Larsen
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