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Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Posted: July 17th, 2012, 10:00 am
by Jonathan Robie
Mark 8:12 wrote:καὶ ἀναστενάξας τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ λέγει· Τί ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη ζητεῖ σημεῖον; ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον.
Is this aposiopesis?

Or is it an oath formula?

How should I interpret it?

Re: Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Posted: July 17th, 2012, 10:57 am
by Jason Hare
Jonathan Robie wrote:
Mark 8:12 wrote:καὶ ἀναστενάξας τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ λέγει· Τί ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη ζητεῖ σημεῖον; ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον.
Is this aposiopesis?

Or is it an oath formula?

How should I interpret it?
I would take it as an oath formula (based on Hebrew). The structure is found in Psalms 95:11 (94:11 in the LXX):

אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְתִּי בְאַפִּ֑י אִם־יְ֝בֹא֗וּן אֶל־מְנֽוּחָתִֽי׃
ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου· Εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου.

This formula is repeated in Hebrews 3:11, 4:3 and 4:5 as quotations of this verse from Psalms.

It means, "This generation will not be given a sign."

We can understand it as, "If a sign will be given to this generation, then some unstated bad thing will take place."

:)

Re: Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Posted: July 17th, 2012, 11:31 am
by Stephen Carlson
Isn't this a case of an oath formula using aposiopesis? So, the answer is "both," right?

Re: Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Posted: July 17th, 2012, 12:10 pm
by Jason Hare
Stephen Carlson wrote:Isn't this a case of an oath formula using aposiopesis? So, the answer is "both," right?
Thumbs up from me.