[B-Greek] A Question for B-Greek John 20:26 "After eight days"

George F Somsel gfsomsel at yahoo.com
Thu Jan 18 17:29:20 EST 2007


Just a little example of the inclusive method of reckoning time.

In the account of Peter's dealings with the Centurion Cornelius in Acts 10 we can actually count the days involved.

Day 1

10.3 EIDEN EN hORAMATI FANERWS hWSE PERI hWRA HENATHN THS hHMERAS AGGELON TOU QEOU EISELQONTA PROS AUTON KAI EIPONTA AUTWi, "KORNHLIE
10.5 KAI NUN PEMYON ANDRAS EIS IOPPHN KAI METAPEMYAI SIMWNA TINA hOS EPIKALEITAI PETROS . . . ."
10.7  hWS DE APHLQEN hO AGGELOS hO LALWN AUTWi, FWNHSAS DUO TWN OIKETWN KAI STRATIWTHN EUSEBH TWN PROSKARTEROUNTWN AUTWi
10.8 KAI ECEHGHSAMENOS hAPANTA AUTOIS APESTEILEN AUTOUS EIS THN IOPPHN

Day 2

10.9 THi DE EPAURION, hODOIPOROUNTWN EKEINWN KAI THi POLEI EGGIZONTWN, ANEBHi PETROS EPI DWMA PROSEUCASQAI PERI hORAN hEKTHN
10.21 KATABAS DE PETROS PROS TOUS ANDRAS EIPEN, "IDOU EGW EIMI hON ZHTEITE . . . ."
10.23 EISKALESAMENOS OUN AUTOU ECENISEN.

Day 3

10.23 THi DE EPAURION ANASTAS ECELQEN SUN AUTOIS KAI TINES TWN ADELFWN TWN APO IOPPHS SUNHLQON AUTWi.

Day 4

10.24 THi DE EPAURION EISHLQEN EIS THN KAISAREIAN . . .

And Cornelius' statement regarding the time

10.30 KAI hO KORNHLIOS EFH, "APO TETARTHS hMERAS . . ."

george
gfsomsel
_________

Carl has given you a good answer regarding the time involved as being one week.  It seems that you are then asking regarding what day it was a week from.  In view of the reference given in Jn 20.19

OUSHS OUN OYIAS THi hHMERAi EKEINHi THi MIAi SABBATWN KAI TWN QURWN KEKLEISMENWN hOPOU HSAN hOI MAQHTAI DIA TON FOBON TWN IOUDAIWN, HLQEN hO IHSOUS KAI ESTH EIS TO MESON KAI LEGEI AUTOIS, "EIRHNH hUMIN."

I would therefore say that the counting was to begin on "the first day of the week" or Sunday.  It would thus seem that Jesus' appearances were a week apart on Sunday.
 
george
gfsomsel
_________


----- Original Message ----
From: Carl W. Conrad <cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu>
To: B-Greek B-Greek <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Cc: M. Basner <TALMIDIM at aol.com>
Sent: Monday, January 15, 2007 9:25:19 AM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] A Question for B-Greek John 20:26 "After eight days"


I've responded to the following question put to me off-list, but the  
original sender, who is not a list-member,  would evidently like more  
feedback; others might wish to respond. If so, please reply to
TALMIDIM at aol.com off-list or else "reply all."

On Jan 15, 2007, at 8:50 AM, (M. Basner) TALMIDIM at aol.com wrote:

> Sir:
>
>    In reading John 20:26, regarding  the phrase "after eight  
> days" , what is the beginning point of this counting?
>
> TR: KAI MEQ' hHMERAS OKTW PALIN HSAN ESW hOI MAQHTAI AUTOU KAI  
> QWMAS MET' AUTWN. ERCETAI hO IHSOUS TWN QURWN KEKLEISMENWN KAI ESTH  
> EIS TO MESON KAI EIPEN, 'EIRHNH hUMIN.'
>
>    Since Sunday was noted as the "third day" since the crucifixion,  
> does the Greek text allow,  that the crucifixion is the beginning  
> reference point for the "eight days" rather than the day of Jesus'  
> resurrection and his appearance to the apostles?
>
>    I know the latter is the traditional view,  but could the Greek  
> text allow for a different interpretation?

This is standard ancient "inclusive reckoning" whereby the day of  
reference is the first item in the count: Friday = day 1, Saturday =  
day 2, Sunday = day 3. So META hHMERAS OKTW means "eight days" (one  
week) following (and including) the day of reference. This is still  
common practice in some countries: I regularly encountered in Germany  
the phrase "heute in acht Tagen" -- i.e. "eight days from today"  
meaning "a week from today."


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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