[B-Greek] A less pejorative reading of PARADIDWMI in Matt. 26?
Joseph T. Edmiston, FAICP
edmiston at smmc.ca.gov
Thu Apr 13 05:28:35 EDT 2006
Im new to the list and stale in my Greek, so I would appreciate feedback on
a potential problem with the standard translation of PARADIDWMI as used in
Matt. 26:15-48.
The newly released Gospel of Judas strongly suggests that Judas didnt
"betray" Jesus (as PARADIDWMI is universally translated), but rather that
Judas and Jesus *were in on it together.*
If that is the case, then a better translation would be the more matter of
fact sense of "hand over" or even "deliver to officialdom," but not
"betray."
Some contextual considerations in support of this proposition are:
(1) Matt. 26:2 has Jesus predicting what will happen: META DUO HMERAS ...
UIOS TOU ANQRWPOU PARADIDOTAI EIS STAURWQHNAI. Now, for an ordinary person
foreknowledge wouldnt necessarily preclude betrayal, but Jesus is no
ordinary person as he tells his sword welding disciple: H DOKEIS OTI OU
DUNAHAI PARAKALESAI TON PATERA MOU KAI PARSTHSEL MOI ARTI PLEIW DWDEKA
LEGIWNAS AGGELWN; PWS OUN PLHRWQWSIN AI GRAFAI OTI OUTWS DEI GENESQAI (Matt.
26:53-54). Presumably, if Jesus didnt want to be handed over those angelic
legions would have been deployed. And v. 56 confirms that all this GEGONEN
INA PLHRWQWSIN AI GRAFAI TWN PROFHTWN.
(2) Matt. 26:50 has Jesus encouraging (reassuring) Judas after KATEFILHSEN
AUTON in v. 49 by saying ETAIRE EF O PAREI, which I read as "get on with
it." Jesus words are those of complicity if not conspiracy with Judas.
Best regards,
Joseph T. Edmiston, FAICP
edmiston at smmc.ca.gov
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