[B-Greek] The use of GAR in Mark 9:49

Samuel Cripps crippssamuel at yahoo.com
Thu Sep 10 13:03:24 EDT 2009


B-Greekers,
 
During a recent discussion between myself and a friend who is trained in Biblical Greek, my friend claimed, "GAR is used to give reason and attempts to explain that which precedes it.If there is an idea after it that is connected to it, it must be understood as a contrast."  Concerning the use of GAR in Mark 9:49, my friend wrote, "Verse 49-50 through the use of gar shows a contrast in those verses. Verse 50 speaks of the disciplined life while verse 49 reaches back in time namely verse 48 and actually back even further. 'Every' must be understood as meaning 'all' but the real understanding must be in the idea that we read the text as a contrast that is to say that everyone is salted in one manner or another.That contrast is clearly defined by the use of the conjunction "gar". 

So if I were to translate this text this is what it would say in a commentary form. 

Every man must go through one fire or another (salted with fire) for one it is the fire of hell and for another it is the fire of self discipline of faith."
 
Is this correct?  Does GAR function in this manner?
 
Thank you in advance,
 
Samuel Cripps (laymen)


      


More information about the B-Greek mailing list