Saturday 14 April 2018

ENEMIES AND ALLIES

#gospelofmark #whatjesussaid #biblestudy #greeknewtestament

Theres a verse in Mark that illustrates SEMANTIC differences between Greek and English

Mark 9:40

He who for not is down of us over of us is

hos gar ouk estin kath' heeemoon huper heemoon estin.

Generally translated For he who is not against us is for us in English.

So why can kata mean against as well as down and hyper mean for as well as over.

Consider how hilly Greece and Galilee were.
You can move downwards downhill against something a downhill charge from higher ground for example or the idea of a hostile action placing the thing or person moved against in a lower position and likewise protection and shelter being an action over and above of a shield over a fellow fighter or providing a roof as shelter.

The enemy of my enemy can become an ally or even better a friend working for a common good.

Oh and I think the use of the masculine form doesnt exclude women.

While Jesus is giving a piece of general advice about possible allies he was also using referring to a man who was probably a Jewish male exorcist.

The parallel verse in Luke uses you rather than us but again I ask look at and study the similarities and meaning and don't get obsessed with minor textual variances.



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