Habetis custodiam

From: Steven Cox (scox@ns1.chinaonline.com.cn.net)
Date: Thu Apr 23 1998 - 12:54:52 EDT


I was comparing Greek and Latin for Matt 27:65:

        ECETE KOUSTWDIAN, hYPAGETE, ASFALISASQE hWS OIDATE
        Habetis custodiam; ite, custodite sicut scitis

and wondering why Jerome doesn't have Pilate saying "Habete
custodiam, ite" if he was exhorting them to take his guard and go.
(though I suppose it might be odd to say "Have a guard", as if it
was like "Have salt in yourself"; Habete sal, ECETE hALA)

It must have been suggested before but is it possible that
here ECETE means "you already have" and hYPAGETE is a terse
"get thee hence" such as Christ's hYPAGE SATANA to Peter?

So what of hWS OIDATE here? I have the feeling that this is
idiomatic and means more than "as you know", but what exactly??
Does hWS OIDATE really mean "as best you can" (KJV,NIV)
Is this use of hWS OIDATE well documented?
Does it mean it nicely? Or is less than polite?

I'm trying to work this out but it has gone midnight and my
brain is shutting down so I'll turn it over to the more competent.
Cheers
Steven



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