[B-Greek] John 8:58 PPA???

MAKARIOIOIPRAEIS at aol.com MAKARIOIOIPRAEIS at aol.com
Fri Feb 4 01:58:19 EST 2005


Another reason the LXX of Psalm 90:2 would be a closer parrallel to John 8:58 
is that the last phrase of the Psalm is also a "predicate absolute"

Ps 90:2 PRO TOU ORH GENHQNHAI.....  SU EI
            before the mountains were formed .....You are

John 8:58 PRIV ABRAAM GENESQAI....EGO EIMI
                before Abraham was born ....  I am

The LXX translation renders ATAH 'EL "You are God" simply as SU EI "absolute" 
and in the present tense. According to the LXX translators, the single phrase 
"You are" by itself seems to be what is used and would be understood by the 
Greek speaking Jews as the equivalent and transcendant declaration for "You are 
God", without even mentioing 'EL. From the debate it was mentioned that 
Beduhn had argued that Ps 90:2 in the LXX was also a PPA, but the original Heb is 
not saying "You have been God before the mountains..." ..that would be HAYYETA 
'EL... This seems to argue in favor for the present tense meanings: "you are" 
or "I am", therefore what is being refered to is not that which had entered 
into existence simply before another thing came into existence (ie. the earth, 
the mountains, or Abraham) but just "is". 
(I think this is where the Parmenides quote comes in: "of the Eternal we 
cannot say HN OUD ESTAI only ESTIV")

Richard Windisch




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