[B-Greek] Mk 6:8b EI MH ... MH ... MH ...
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Sun May 28 08:43:30 EDT 2006
I agree with Iver that Oun's problems here derive -- in part, at
least -- from attempting to understand the EI as "except" apart from
the immediately following MH, and then understanding this MH as of
one kind with the MH's that follow. But: (1) It lies outside the
scope of this forum to deal with the question why Matthew and Luke
have formulated this instruction differently from Mark: that question
must be dealt with in terms of a methodology involving one's
hermeneutical assumptions, something we deliberately avoid discussing
on B-Greek; (2) Iver says that the grammar doesn't resolve Oun's
question: that may be so, if Oun's question is primarily concerned
with harmonizing the different Synoptic formulations of Jesus'
"missionary instructions," but the question actually raised by Oun
was understanding the construction of Mark 6:8 -- and, for my part, I
am convinced that the question concerning Mark 6:8 can readily be
understood and resolved in terms of Greek grammar without any need to
resort to Semitic thought patterns. There's a good deal of ellipsis
here, but I think Oun's chief problem here was in dissociating the MH
of EI MH from the EI, trying to take the EI by itself as "except,"
and viewing this MH as one of the series of MH's that follow.
Let's look at the whole text again, supplying an elliptical [AIRWSIN]
where I think it is essential to understanding the grammatical
construction:
Mark 6:8 KAI PARHGGEILEN AUTOIS hINA MHDEN AIRWSIN EIS hODON EI MH
hRABDON MONON [AIRWSIN], MH ARTON [AIRWSIN], MH PHRAN [AIRWSIN], MH
EIS THN ZWNHN CALKON [AIRWSIN], ...
This can be Englished almost literally with insertion of the
equivalent of the elliptical [AIRWSIN] in the appropriate places
without altering the fundamental structure of the Greek phrasing:
"And he told them not to carry anything for the trip if they don't
carry just a staff, not to carry a loaf of bread, not to carry a
knapsack, not to carry loose coin in their belt, ..."
But it makes perfectly good sense if one uses in English the same
ellipsis as does the Greek:
"And he told them not to take anything for the trip except just a
staff, no loaf of bread, no knapsack, no loose change in their
belt, ..."
On May 28, 2006, at 3:20 AM, Iver Larsen wrote:
> Oun Kwon wrote:
>
>> On journey the disciples are told not to take things (in Mt 10:10 and
>> in Lk 9:3). Here is the pertinent clause in Mk.
>>
>> Mk 6:8b
>>
>> EI MH hRABDON MONON MH ARTON MH PHRAN MH EIS THN ZWNHN CALKON
>>
>> Now, the problem is that all the translations read this as 'except a
>> staff' taking parenthetically. This makes the Markan text
>> contradictory to the rest of the synoptics. What is the grammatical
>> basis of this rendering (unacceptable to me)? What I can see is
>> simply 'EI' before the MH hRABDON. If EI has to mean 'except',
>> why it
>> should govern hRABDON only, not the whole items listed?
>>
>> Since all the items are listed in a manner of MH ~ MH ~ ...., as for
>> me, I am tempted to read this as
>>
>> 'not a single staff, nor pouch, no loaf of bread, no coins in their
>> money-belt';
>>
>> I am not sure how I should understand the conjunction EI.
>
> You have pinpointed your own grammatical problem. With your
> translation you cannot account for the EI, so grammatically,
> it has to mean "except just a staff". And you cannot make the
> "except" span all the remaining items in the list.
>
> However, there is more to meaning and exegesis than grammar.
> Although we are reading Greek, the gospels are based in
> varying degrees on a Semitic thought pattern which is circular and
> holistic rather than linear and dichotomistic. Very
> often you have a general summary statement to start off with
> followed by other statements that fill in the details. In
> this case, I think the first statement "Don't take anything except
> just a staff" is meant to be a general statement of
> the big picture. This is then explained in more details in the
> following. Well, you should not take a supply of food
> along (expect to be fed by those you visit). Do not take a bag
> (possibly with extra luggage to make them independent of
> accepting help and hospitality. Some suggest that a beggar's bag is
> meant). Do not take a supply of money (so you could
> buy your own food rather than be fed by others). Then in v 9: DO
> wear sandals on your feet, because that is essential
> for a wanderer in rugged terrain, just as a walking staff is. But
> do not take extra tunics (take off in the one you are
> wearing).
> So, it appears that the instruction is: Only take along what is
> essential for walking along the roads, i.e. sandals on
> your feet, your normal clothing without extras and a walking stick.
>
> In Matt 10:9-10 the instructions are: No gold, no silver, no
> copper, no bag, not two tunics, no (extra) sandals, no
> (extra) staff.
> This last one is based on the alternative reading RABDOUS, and the
> interpretation that the plurals indicate something in
> addition to what is essential. I won't argue here for this
> preferred reading since it is a TC issue.
>
> In Luk 9:3 the instructions are: Take nothing. No staff, no bag, no
> food, no money, not two tunics. Again, it is an
> interpretation to take these words to mean "extras". The "two
> tunics" probably does not men two extra tunics, but two in
> the sense of the one you are wearing and one extra.
>
> You might find it interesting to study the NET for these verses:
> Luk 9:3: "Take nothing for your journey-no staff, (Mark 6.8 allows
> one staff. It might be that Luke's summary (cf. Matt
> 10.9-10) means not taking an extra staff or that the expression is
> merely rhetorical for "traveling light" which has
> been rendered in two slightly different ways) no bag, no bread, no
> money, and do not take an extra tunic. (Grk "have two
> tunics.")"
>
> I think the most debatable issue is the staff, but Greek grammar
> does not solve the problem.
>
> Iver Larsen
>
>
>
>
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Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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