[B-Greek] Luke 13:35 AFIETAI

Iver Larsen iver at larsen.dk
Wed Jun 15 12:13:45 EDT 2005


> 
> Luke 13:35 
> IDOU AFIETAI UMIN O OIKOS UMWN
> 
> What is the correct understanding of AFIETAI here?
> 
> Some take it as: "your house is left to you".
> 
> But e.g. Pallis (Notes, 1932) writes: "this addition is due to 
> misunderstanding AFIETAI, which was taken to mean "is left"  
> whereas it means EGKATALEIPETAI, "is being forsaken". ... 

I am afraid I cannot see the difference in meaning.

When Jesus says that "their house" is left to them, it is implied that it is left to them alone without God's protection. And that means that "their house" is being forsaken by God.

It is a problem to interpret the intended reference of "their house".
Some translations like TEV and REB take it to refer to the Temple. I am inclined not to take it that way, partly because the Temple is normally referred to as "God's house" or "the House", but not "their house."
I prefer to interpret it more broadly as referring to Jerusalem as the place ("house") where the people dwell. The whole context talks about Jerusalem and its inhabitants. God is going to forsake not only the Temple, but the whole city. And as we know, the city including the Temple was destroyed not many years after.

Iver Larsen






More information about the B-Greek mailing list