[B-Greek] LXX Amos 3:5, Matthew 10:29 Grammar, Topic, Context, and Verbal Irony
Yancy Smith
yancywsmith at sbcglobal.net
Thu Nov 19 17:41:32 EST 2009
Dear list,
One of the difficulties of a strictly grammatical/linguistic approach to reading the Greek NT is how to account for context and recognize verbal irony. For example, οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. OUCI DUO STROUQIA ASSARIOU PWLEITAI hEN EX AUTWN OU PESEITAI EPI THN GHN ANEU TOU PATROS hUMWN. The NRSV reads, fairly literally, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” The last part of the verse is sometimes called “cryptic” (Matthew vol. 2, I.C.C. Allison and Davies). So, the meaning in terms of theology has been a topic of much discussion. (I.e., is it speaking of “apart from the will, knowledge, care, or comforting presence” of God?) Theology aside, the topic is also obscured by the oblique language. Does “PESEITAI EPI THN GHN” refer to the “death” of a little bird? I would like to suggest Matthew’s Jesus engages in a bit of Scriptural-verbal irony. That is, a Scripture quote or allusion is accompanied by an attitude distinct from the original. In the LXX Amos 3:5 has εἰ πεσεῖται ὄρνεον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ ἰξευτοῦ; EI PESEITAI ORNEON EPI THN GHN ANEU IXEUTON. “Will not a bird fall to the ground without the bird catcher!?” Matthew apparently quotes the prophetic saying with a bit of irony. For translators, irony is difficult to spot. Commentator’s miss the verbal similarity to Amos or fail to give it any significance. In Matthew’s version, Jesus changes the text and puts “Father” in the place of “birdcatcher.” The PAGIS is EPI THN GHN. So, I wonder if the language about a bird falling to the ground is an extension of the image of the sparrows that are sold in the marketplace for a pittance. I suppose they would be thought to have been caught by fowlers and that the phrase “πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν” is an idiomatic reference to being “caught” by the bird catcher. Is this an idiomatic use of “fall” like that of the Lucan story of the Good Samaritan, who “fell among theives” λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν, which might be translated, “Some robbers surrounded him and caught him.” Is it similar to “fall into a trap/danger.” πιπτειν εἰς νόσον καὶ ἔσχατον κίνδυνον PIPTEIN EIS NOSON KAI ESCATON KINDUNON “fall into sickness and extreme peril” Acts of Paul 4:15 where no literal falling is involved? A much closer verbal parallel is 1 Tim 3:6-7 μὴ νεόφυτον, ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς εἰς κρίμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου. 7 δεῖ δὲ καὶ μαρτυρίαν καλὴν ἔχειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν ἐμπέσῃ καὶ παγίδα τοῦ διαβόλου. MH NEOPHUTON hINA MH TUFWQEIS EIS KRIMA EMPESESHi TOU DIABOLOU 7 DEI DE KAI MARTURIAN KALHN ECEIN APO TVN EXOQEN Hina One “falls” into judgment, disgrace, and a snare.
The context in Matthew is about being prepared for capture and martyrdom, i.e. when God permits even one follower of Christ to be captured and suffer martyrdom it is part of his plan to bring witnesses before “rulers and Gentiles,” but the follower of Jesus is always under God’s watchful care.
Comments? Rebuttals?
Yancy Smith
Yancy W. Smith, PhD
World Bible Translation Center
4028 Daley Ave., Suite 201
Fort Worth, TX 76180
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<mailto:brian at wbtc.org> yancy at wbtc.org
Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
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