[B-Greek] Is this a semitism or normal Greek?

Randall Buth randallbuth at gmail.com
Sun Feb 10 06:02:19 EST 2008


Hugh egrapse
>I imagine my question could be answered by consulting
a good commentary. But alas, that option is not open
to me at the moment. So I'll take advantage of the
forum and learn from those who are more knowledgeable.
My question regards the repetition of SUMPOSIA in Mk.
6.39. I'll quote the verse here:>

>KAI EPETAXEN AUTOIS ANAKLINAI PANTAS SUMPOSIA
SUMPOSIA EPI TWi CHLWRWi CHORTWi>

>The repetition has always struck me as a semitism. I
remember coming across passages in Hebrew in which the
noun was repeated. Like 'gold, gold' for there was
much gold in the land. Or 'pits, pits' for there were
many pits in the land. The repetition of the noun
showed degree. So I just figured Mark was saying "he
had them to sit down in many groups". My Danker
Shorter Lexicon had: a group (of people eating)in
groups. So I ask of those who have more Classical and
Literary Koine under their belts, is this a proper
idiom in Greek? It seems to be a repeating of a noun
in the same case. Usually Greek idioms will repeat
nouns but one will have a different case, from what I
have seen. I know Mark's Greek is a heavily semitized
form. So I'm expecting the answer to go in that
direction. >

RB:
several points.
Mark is Semitic to be sure, and may better be described
as idiosyncratic Greek.

When saying 'Semitic' it may be important to point out
that Mark does not reflect an Aramaic narrative style
with narrative tote (tote as a narrative conjunction),
contrary what to Casey leads people to believe.

Yes, SYMPOSIA SYMPOSIA is a Hebraism,
but one that means, 'each and every, by each' rather
than simply 'many'. It is rather rare in Greek and
Aramaic, though attested in LXX.

Finally, this has a humorous ring to it because a
SYMPOSION was the common Greek term for
banquet and drinking party.
You are invited to a post-SBL SYMPOSION in Boston
should you desire. The Jerusalem School usually has
an open-house reception Tuesday afternoon 12-3pm after
SBL, called a SYMPOSION and offering wines,
beverages, cheeses,and dips.
So schedule your flight in the late afternoon,
and have a wine-down after an exciting conference.

ERRWSO
IWANHS

--
Randall Buth, PhD
www.biblicalulpan.org
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη
שלום לכם וברכות
randallbuth at gmail.com



-- 
Randall Buth, PhD
www.biblicalulpan.org
χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη
שלום לכם וברכות
randallbuth at gmail.com


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