[b-greek] Mark 8:12

From: Erik Westwig (ewestwig@palisade.com)
Date: Wed Jan 23 2002 - 09:21:01 EST


I'm a beginner and I'm having some trouble with Mark 8:12.

My USB 4th Edition (Revised) has the Greek text:
KAI ANASTENAXAS TWi PNEUMATI AUTOU LEGEI, TI hH GENEA hAUTH ZHTEI SHMEION;
AMHN LEGW hUMIN, EI DOQHSETAI TH GENEA TAUTH SHMEIOV.

which my RSV translates as:
And he sighed deeply in spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek for
a sign?
Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."

My trouble is with the second sentence. I don't understand how they get
their negation (no sign shall be given). The only way I could see how this
might work is if there is a sarcastic tone to this sentence. "If a sign
will be given to this generation..." with an implication of consequent
surprise. There is also a theological problem here, which I hesistate to
mention, but it does bear on the Greek translation. Jesus says that this
generation will not get a sign, but he himself is about as big a sign as you
could get from God. Could this also play into the overall tone of sarcasm?

Thanks for the help,
ERIK

Erik Westwig
Software Engineer
Palisade Corporation
westwig@palisade.com

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