From: Paul S. Dixon (dixonps@juno.com)
Date: Mon Dec 22 1997 - 14:02:23 EST
On Mon, 22 Dec 97 12:33:12 Ben Crick <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk> writes:
>
> I've always been of the opinion that Classical Hebrew should be
> mandatory for theological students who are studying NT Greek.
> It is axiomatic that the Gospels were translated out of Aramaic/Hebrew
> originals (/pace/ Papias).
Ben, could you either: 1) expand/clarify your argument regarding this
axiom, or
2) refer me to some reading on it? My first reaction is that this is not
so axiomatic, at least I had never considered it so. What exactly is the
argument for the position that the Gospels were originally written in the
Hebrew language?
>
> The Greek genitive is the nearest available equivalent to the Hebrew
> (Aramaic) "construct relationship". If we translate EI hUIOS EI TOU
>QEOU back into Hebrew we get `iM BeN-Ha'eLoHiYM 'aTTaH.
>/BeN-Ha'eLoHiYM/ is a unit, and is definite; it contains the definite
article Ha >embedded after the maqqeph (hyphen). This is precisely where
we find it in the >Greek translation hUIOS... TOU QEOU. There cannot be
an "extra" definite
>article with hUOIS, because there cannot be an extra definite article
with
>BeN-, as it is a noun in the Construct State, *followed by* the Definite
>Article.
It seems your translation back into the Hebrew assumes the definiteness
of hUIOS. If so, then this is begging the question.
>With all due respect to the learned Graecists who have responded to
>this thread, it seems that we need look no further than this for the
>answer to your query. The English versions are right to translate "If
you are
>THE SON OF GOD". It would be right wooden to translate "A son of THE
>God".
Is this really the reason for the translation, "if you are the Son of
God"? I would love to hear from the translators on this. My suspicions
lie with the proximity to the articular hO hUIOS MOU three verses earlier
and Satan's challenge of this in these verses.
> A very happy Christmas to you all.
Yes, a hearty amen. I'm leaving shortly for skiing with my future
son-in-law. A beautiful day for it here in Oregon. Christmas week is
here, families are gathering. Peace among men EUDOKIAS.
Paul Dixon
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