Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν - overinterpreting?

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Jonathan Robie
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Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν - overinterpreting?

Post by Jonathan Robie »

When I read Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν, I interpreted ἰδὼν as "having noticed" or "having observed", as in "when he noticed him he passed by on the other side". But I notice that most translations say something more like "when he saw him he passed by on the other side".

Am I over-interpreting the choice of εἶδον vs. βλέπω here?
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
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cwconrad
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Re: Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν - overinterpretin

Post by cwconrad »

Jonathan Robie wrote:When I read Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν, I interpreted ἰδὼν as "having noticed" or "having observed", as in "when he noticed him he passed by on the other side". But I notice that most translations say something more like "when he saw him he passed by on the other side".

Am I over-interpreting the choice of εἶδον vs. βλέπω here?
I may be missing something, but I don't see any difference between what you're understanding and what those versions indicate, that the decision to avoid contact followed upon sizing up the situation. You could as well make it, "and when he saw him, he went around on the other side."
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
Jonathan Robie
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Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:34 pm
Location: Durham, NC
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Re: Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν - overinterpretin

Post by Jonathan Robie »

cwconrad wrote:
Jonathan Robie wrote:When I read Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν, I interpreted ἰδὼν as "having noticed" or "having observed", as in "when he noticed him he passed by on the other side". But I notice that most translations say something more like "when he saw him he passed by on the other side".

Am I over-interpreting the choice of εἶδον vs. βλέπω here?
I may be missing something, but I don't see any difference between what you're understanding and what those versions indicate, that the decision to avoid contact followed upon sizing up the situation. You could as well make it, "and when he saw him, he went around on the other side."
It's precisely the "sizing up the situation" or at least "noticing" that I think the verb implies, and which I want to make sure I am not overinterpreting. Obviously, it's in direct relationship to the main verb.
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
http://jonathanrobie.biblicalhumanities.org/
cwconrad
Posts: 2112
Joined: May 5th, 2011, 5:52 pm
Location: Burnsville, NC 28714
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Re: Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν - overinterpretin

Post by cwconrad »

Jonathan Robie wrote:
cwconrad wrote:
Jonathan Robie wrote:When I read Luke 10:31 καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν, I interpreted ἰδὼν as "having noticed" or "having observed", as in "when he noticed him he passed by on the other side". But I notice that most translations say something more like "when he saw him he passed by on the other side".

Am I over-interpreting the choice of εἶδον vs. βλέπω here?
I may be missing something, but I don't see any difference between what you're understanding and what those versions indicate, that the decision to avoid contact followed upon sizing up the situation. You could as well make it, "and when he saw him, he went around on the other side."
It's precisely the "sizing up the situation" or at least "noticing" that I think the verb implies, and which I want to make sure I am not overinterpreting. Obviously, it's in direct relationship to the main verb.
Sure, the implication is there, I'd say -- but I think it's there even if you English it simply as "and when he saw him, he went around on the other side." post hoc ergo propter hoc may be a logical fallacy, but I think the connection between what he saw and what he did is clear enough without underscoring it.
οὔτοι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς πάντα θεοὶ θνητοῖς ὑπέδειξαν,
ἀλλὰ χρόνῳ ζητέοντες ἐφευρίσκουσιν ἄμεινον. (Xenophanes, Fragment 16)

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
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