[B-Greek] Mark 8:23
George Young
webber_young at yahoo.com
Wed Apr 19 14:14:17 EDT 2006
Dear B-Greek Group:
Thank you for your comments. They are appreciated. I
understand the usual translation of EI TI BlEPEIS as
"Do you see anything?" However, I wonder if this is
indeed the meaning of these words (BTW, perhaps I
should have given my reasons for doubting the usual
translation). I am questioning whether the more
probable translation might be "What do you see" for
the following reasons:
1. Though EI can introduce a question, introducing a
condition believed by the speaker to be actual or
possible, it is also the 2 per sing of the verb "to
be" (e.g., Mark 8:29).
2. Though BLEPEIS is a 2 Per Sing. Ind. Act. verb, the
most ancient and reliable witnesses indicate BLEPEI as
the reading. At this point several possibilities
emerge. For instance, should we read this as 3rd
singular? Or perhaps 3rd singular in a hortatory
sense (as, e.g., PISTEUETAI in Mark 1:15
{Sinaiticus})? Or is this the infinitive form BLEPEIN,
the Nu being droppped as is frequently the case in the
ancient manuscripts?
3. If one answer "yes" or "maybe" to the above
queries, then perhaps one may also question the nature
of the "TI." For instance, TI without the accent
means "anything." Yet "TI" with the accent means
"what." In the ancient manuscripts there are no
accents. True, the UBS Greek NT does have accents,
and in this case they have chosen NOT to supply an
accent. Hence, the editors did read "anything" hear
for the translation of "TI."
4. There is also the context of this little pericope.
There does seems to me to be two (2) healings. First,
some sort of visionary experience of the blind man,
having had Jesus spital placed upon his eyes (note the
use of TA OMMATA), and then a physical healing upon
the second touch (note the use of TOUS OFthALMOUS) < I
apologize I forget the character I should use for a
theta >.
Hence, I question if "Do you see anything" is really
the more probable translation.
Sincerely,
W.Y.
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