Last Review Mrk 8:23 #485

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opened 2020-07-23 14:47:47 +00:00 by TomWarren · 3 comments

TomWarren commented

2020-07-23 14:47:47 +00:00

The ULB of MRK 8:23 reads:
\v 23 Jesus took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?"

\v 23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?"

Note Jesus' departure, by name follows in verse 26.
\v 26 Jesus sent him away to his home and said, "Do not enter the village."

The ULB of MRK 8:23 reads: \v 23 **Jesus** took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" \v 23 **He** took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" Note Jesus' departure, by name follows in verse 26. \v 26 Jesus sent him away to his home and said, "Do not enter the village."

hmw3 commented

2020-07-23 15:46:16 +00:00

The Greek is autos throughout vv. 22-23 both for Jesus and for the blind man after the latter is introduced. Some languages (I think including Koiné) have pronouns that would track the two men differently, but not here. I find v. 22 awkward -- why is Jesus pronouned initially and named in the second mention? (Because we want to specify that Jesus was begged, not the blind man.) Mark evidently assumed that his readers would keep the referents of autos straight.

Ergo, I suggest

\v 22 They came to Bethsaida. The people there brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
\v 23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?"

tN for v. 22:

to him a blind man and begged him to touch him

"to Jesus a blind man and begged Jesus to touch the blind man"

tN for v. 23:

He took hold ... led him ... he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him

You may need to specify who the words "he," "him," and "his" refer to. Jesus took hold ... led the blind man ... Jesus had spit on the blind man's eyes and laid Jesus's hands on the blind man, Jesus asked the blind man.

The Greek is *autos* throughout vv. 22-23 both for Jesus and for the blind man after the latter is introduced. Some languages (I think including Koiné) have pronouns that would track the two men differently, but not here. I find v. 22 awkward -- why is Jesus pronouned initially and named in the second mention? (Because we want to specify that Jesus was begged, not the blind man.) Mark evidently assumed that his readers would keep the referents of *autos* straight. Ergo, I suggest \v 22 They came to Bethsaida. The people there brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. \v 23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" tN for v. 22: **to him a blind man and begged him to touch him** "to Jesus a blind man and begged Jesus to touch the blind man" tN for v. 23: **He took hold ... led him ... he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him** You may need to specify who the words "he," "him," and "his" refer to. Jesus took hold ... led the blind man ... Jesus had spit on the blind man's eyes and laid Jesus's hands on the blind man, Jesus asked the blind man.