Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

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Jonathan Robie
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Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Post 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?
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες καὶ διηποροῦντο, ἄλλος πρὸς ἄλλον λέγοντες, τί θέλει τοῦτο εἶναι;
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Jason Hare
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Re: Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Post 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."

:)
Jason A. Hare
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Stephen Carlson
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Re: Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Post by Stephen Carlson »

Isn't this a case of an oath formula using aposiopesis? So, the answer is "both," right?
Stephen C. Carlson, Ph.D.
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Jason Hare
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Re: Mark 8:12 εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον

Post 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.
Jason A. Hare
The Hebrew Café
Tel Aviv, Israel
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