Last Review Mat 5:18

TomWarren commented

2020-07-21 14:32:53 +00:00

Mat 5:18
\v 18 For truly I say to you that until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will in any way pass away from the law, until all things have been accomplished.

Greek Mat 5:18
ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν· ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.

Jot and tittle is arcane.
ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία
jot and not one serif

jot and tittle is gibberish.

ἰῶτα - the smallest Greek letter
κεραία - serif, a small stroke of the pen in Hebrew

Options:

1.) Stay with jot and tittle and explain in a tN
2.) "one letter, not one stroke of a letter" from NRSV
3.) "the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen" from NIV11
4.) "not an iota, not a dot" from the ESVUS16

Suggest following the ESV here:
\v 18 For truly I say to you that until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota and not a dot, will in any way pass away from the law, until all things have been accomplished.

Requiring a tN to explain.

Mat 5:18 \v 18 For truly I say to you that until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will in any way pass away from the law, until all things have been accomplished. Greek Mat 5:18 ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν· ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου, ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται. Jot and tittle is arcane. ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεραία jot and not one serif jot and tittle is gibberish. ἰῶτα - the smallest Greek letter κεραία - serif, a small stroke of the pen in Hebrew Options: 1.) Stay with jot and tittle and explain in a tN 2.) "one letter, not one stroke of a letter" from NRSV 3.) "the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen" from NIV11 4.) "not an iota, not a dot" from the ESVUS16 Suggest following the ESV here: \v 18 For truly I say to you that until heaven and earth pass away, **not an iota and not a dot,** will in any way pass away from the law, until all things have been accomplished. Requiring a tN to explain.

hmw3 commented

2020-07-21 14:46:07 +00:00

No matter what is chosen, a tN will be required.

I'd suggest "smallest letter or mark."

No matter what is chosen, a tN will be required. I'd suggest "smallest letter or mark."

SusanQuigley commented

2020-09-02 21:34:14 +00:00

Owner

We have this tN.

not one jot or one tittle
The jot was the smallest Hebrew letter, and the tittle was a small mark that was the difference between two Hebrew letters. Alternate translation: "not even the smallest written letter or the smallest part of a letter" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)

The definition of tittle above does not look right; it looks like a definition for κεραία (applied to the Hebrew alphabet.) If we keep "jot" and "tittle," I would want to change the note to say simply that a tittle was a very small mark used in writing.

If we change it, I'm fine with either of Tom's or Henry's suggestions.

We have this tN. **not one jot or one tittle** The jot was the smallest Hebrew letter, and the tittle was a small mark that was the difference between two Hebrew letters. Alternate translation: "not even the smallest written letter or the smallest part of a letter" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit) The definition of tittle above does not look right; it looks like a definition for κεραία (applied to the Hebrew alphabet.) **If we keep "jot" and "tittle,"** I would want to change the note to say simply that a tittle was a very small mark used in writing. If we change it, I'm fine with either of Tom's or Henry's suggestions.

drewc commented

2020-09-09 13:56:11 +00:00

Owner

To what does Matthew intend ἰῶτα to refer? While ἰῶτα is the simplest of the Greek letters (a vertical line), it does not make a particularly striking image for a tiny detail of the wording of the Law. The synagogue practice of giving the reading from the Law in Hebrew, followed by translation, may suggest that Matthew has the Hebrew text in mind. In that case ἰῶτα could represent yod (as frequently claimed), the smallest of the Hebrew consonants, and one which sometimes contributes nothing to the meaning. Alternatively waw might be in mind, the Hebrew letter that looks rather like an ἰῶτα and which also often contributes little or nothing to the meaning. κεραία is literally a horn. The term is applied to projections on letters, to breathings, and to accents. It was used proverbially in Greek to indicate the smallest detail, but is likely to be a Greek rendering here of reference to the projections that either ornamented the square characters of Hebrew script or enabled a distinction between visually similar letters.108 In the Greek word order here a minor chiasm binds the two images closely together. These images are being used hyperbolically; they are intended to make the point that even the tiniest detail of the Law’s demands remains secure in the hands of Jesus.

John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2005), 220.

To what does Matthew intend ἰῶτα to refer? While ἰῶτα is the simplest of the Greek letters (a vertical line), it does not make a particularly striking image for a tiny detail of the wording of the Law. The synagogue practice of giving the reading from the Law in Hebrew, followed by translation, may suggest that Matthew has the Hebrew text in mind. In that case ἰῶτα could represent yod (as frequently claimed), the smallest of the Hebrew consonants, and one which sometimes contributes nothing to the meaning. Alternatively waw might be in mind, the Hebrew letter that looks rather like an ἰῶτα and which also often contributes little or nothing to the meaning. κεραία is literally a horn. The term is applied to projections on letters, to breathings, and to accents. It was used proverbially in Greek to indicate the smallest detail, but is likely to be a Greek rendering here of reference to the projections that either ornamented the square characters of Hebrew script or enabled a distinction between visually similar letters.108 In the Greek word order here a minor chiasm binds the two images closely together. These images are being used hyperbolically; they are intended to make the point that even the tiniest detail of the Law’s demands remains secure in the hands of Jesus. John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 2005), 220.

SusanQuigley commented

2020-09-22 14:58:57 +00:00

Owner

@drewcurley, thanks for adding the explanation from Nolland. What do you think we should do with "jot and tittle" in Matt 5:18?

SusanQuigley added the

Drew

label 2020-09-22 14:59:05 +00:00

drewc commented

2020-09-22 16:32:53 +00:00

Owner

I think Tom's suggestion essentially makes a good point that a jot and tittle are are interpretations of this passage. However, because the author is speaking about the Hebrew text, transferring this to the yod makes sense. The biblical text says iota a Greek letter and changing it to jot/yod is problematic because it creates a culture shift.

The OGNT reads lit. I would say, "not an iota or a hook/horn".

Personally, I think the NASB or NIV make the most sense, and I think the NIV is actually more literal than the ESV here.

My suggestion:

"not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter"

P.S. Tyndale's wording: one yot or one tytle

I think Tom's suggestion essentially makes a good point that a jot and tittle are are interpretations of this passage. However, because the author is speaking about the Hebrew text, transferring this to the yod makes sense. The biblical text says iota a Greek letter and changing it to jot/yod is problematic because it creates a culture shift. The OGNT reads lit. I would say, "not an iota or a hook/horn". Personally, I think the NASB or NIV make the most sense, and I think the NIV is actually more literal than the ESV here. My suggestion: "not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter" P.S. Tyndale's wording: one yot or one tytle

SusanQuigley commented

2020-09-22 17:13:42 +00:00

Owner

That works.

I changed "not one jot or one tittle" to "not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter"

That works. I changed "not one jot or one tittle" to "not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter"

drewc closed this issue

2020-09-22 17:29:32 +00:00

Last Review Mat 5:18 #444