[B-Greek] Mk 15:8

Carl Conrad cwconrad2 at mac.com
Wed Nov 26 13:49:45 EST 2008


On Nov 26, 2008, at 12:06 PM, Daniel, Robert S wrote:

>
> Mk 15:8 KAI ANABAS O OCLOS HRXATO AITEISQAI KAQWS EPOIEI AUTOIS.
>
> Is this good Greek or is this an example of clumsy usage by someone  
> who is not a native speaker or master of the language?
>
> And does the phrase KAQWS EPOIEI refer back to Mk 15:6 KATA DE  
> hEORTH APELUEN AUTOIS hENA DESMION hON PARHTOUNTO ?

It doesn't seem so clumsy if it's viewed within the larger context in  
which it belongs:
Κατὰ δὲ ἑορτὴν ἀπέλυεν αὐτοῖς ἕνα  
δέσμιον ὃν παρῃτοῦντο.  ...  8 καὶ  
ἀναβὰς ὁ ὄχλος ἤρξατο αἰτεῖσθαι  
καθὼς ἐποίει αὐτοῖς.  [KATA DE hEORTHN APELUEN  
AUTOIS hENA DESMION hON PARHiTOUNTO ... KAI ANABAS hO OCLOS HRXATO  
AITEISQAI KAQWS EPOIEI AUTOIS.]
We have the imperfects APELUEN and PARHiTOUNTO in verse 6, indicating  
customary action: "he would release (to them one prisoner whom they  
would request." Then in verse 8 HRXATO AITEISQAI indicates this  
request being made; I think that KAQWS EPOIEI AUTOIS corresponds to  
APELUEN AUTOIS hENA DESMION: "proceeded to put the request in  
accordance with what he regularly did for them."

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)






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