[B-Greek] The use of GAR in Mark 9:49
Carl Conrad
cwconrad2 at mac.com
Thu Sep 10 15:02:38 EDT 2009
On Sep 10, 2009, at 1:03 PM, Samuel Cripps wrote:
>
> 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?
It is useful to list-members to cite the text you're asking about:
Mark 9:49 Πᾶς γὰρ πυρὶ ἁλισθήσεται.
[PAS GAR PURI hALISQHSETAI.]
For my part, I can't imagine where the understanding of the function
of GAR offered by your friend -- that some sort of contrast is implied
by it -- comes from. I would suggest a careful reading of the lengthy
entry on GAR in BDAG.
As for Mark 9:49, while one may well imagine that hALISQHNAI will mean
different tests for different people, I don't really see that a
distinct antithesis between two alternatives is suggested, certainly
not by GAR. I would sooner understand the GAR in this verse as
indicating a summary statement: "So, you see, everyone is going to
undergo a fire-testing." I don't think it's appropriate to offer (in
translation) some extrapolated notion of what forms the fire-testing
may take.
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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