[B-Greek] Luke 4:7
James Ernest
j.d.ernest at bc.edu
Tue Jun 12 12:19:36 EDT 2007
Seems to me that in a language where the subject isn't going to come
first, isn't even going to need to be given explicitly because it's
implicit in the verb ending, sticking the pronoun up front is the only
way to zoom in on the subject before filling in the sentence. In some
languages (ASL comes to mind), one routinely "sets up" the noun that's
the focus of attention in the sentence, whether as subject or as
object, then adds the statement about it. French puts the subject
first but then also routinely adds a pronoun, esp. in first-person
("Moi, je préfêre . . . ").
In Luke 4:7, the SU not only specifies that this is an offer directed
specifically to Jesus (after the generalizing "to whomever") but more
than that: Satan zooms in to get "in his face" with this challenge.
Satan can give the kingdoms to whomever . . . special offer for Jesus:
power in exange for proskynesis. Not sure how that can translate . . .
James Ernest
> On Jun 12, 2007, at 7:31 AM, Jonathan Robie wrote:
>
> > Luke 4:7
> >
> > σὺ οὖν ἐὰν προσκυνήσῃς
> > ἐνώπιον ἐμοῦ,
> > ἔσται σοῦ πᾶσα.
> >
> > SU OUN EAN PROSKUNHSHS ENWPION EMOU,
> > ESTAI SOU PASA
> >
> > I'm trying to understand the exact shade of meaning that the
> > initial σὺ (SU) adds -
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