[B-Greek] Mk 8:12 EI DOQHSETAI THi GENEAi TAUTHi SHMEION

Daniel, Robert S rob.daniel at hp.com
Thu Sep 4 12:59:23 EDT 2008


If I understand the BDAG entry on this, this usage of EI is a hebraism that comes from an oath formula: "may such-and-such happen to me IF ..." which BDAG says implies a strong negation, so in this case EI is translated "not" or "emphatically not." Would it be possible to understand this passage differently? If there is an implied "may such-and-such happen to me" clause then could Jesus really mean here, not that NO sign will be given but that a sign will be given ONLY IF the unspoken "such-and-such" happens to him. I'm thinking of something we might loosely paraphrase in English as "May I be stricken dead if a sign is given to this generation."? In other words could Jesus be understood here to be subtly hinting at his coming death and resurrection? It is only a few paragraphs later that he begins to teach his disciples that he must suffer and die and be raised on the third day. Also, in Matthew a similar passage has it that the only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah, i.e. Jesus' death and resurrection. Could Mk 8:12 be saying the same thing in a more cryptic manner?
Rob



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