Lk 1:2 καθα/καθωσ Carl ω. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Sun Aug 25 12:32:40 εδτ 2002
Less than Greek 101… Lk 1:4
των/hWN
Introductory note
: ι feel that the discussions of readings in the text ofLuke’s gospel in Codex Bezae have been gotten off to a bad start by theformatting that
ι adopted for their presentation.
ι was supplied with alist of issues by Mme Chabert d’Hyères and initially presented herformulations in French followed by my own endeavor at an Englishtranslation of her formulations. So
ι‘m going to “recommence”:
ι shallpost, in English only, a formulation of each issue as simply as possible.For those particular issues upon which there has been some discussion Ishall attempt a summary of what’s been stated so far (if
ι misrepresentwhat anyone has said–
ι‘m not citing verbatim–let the injured partycorrect what
ι say.In Lk 1:2 is there a substantive or significant difference of meaningbetween
καθα παρεδοσαν hHMIN hOI
απ‘
αρχσ αυτοπται (Codex Bezae D05) andKAQWS
παρεδοσαν hHMIN hOI
απ‘
αρχσ αυτοπται (reading adopted in NA27/USB4)?
καθα derives from or represents
κατ‘ hA. One question is whether
καθα inour passage is to be understood as an adverbial conjunction equivalent toKAQWS or is rather to be understood with hA as the relative pronoun acc.sg. direct object of
παρεδοσαν, “according to what/the things which theeye-witnesses have transmitted to us …”(1) Mme Chabert says that in other passages
καθωσ is used by Luke, itintroduces a clause with an intransitive verb or a verb with a substantiveas a direct object. If we understand
καθα as
κατ(
α) hA, then the relativepronoun hA must refer to those matters which the eye-witnesses havetransmitted.(2) Conrad, Wed, 21 Aug 2002 07:32:40 -0400
: ι wrote: “Does anyone reallybelieve that D05’s
καθα in Lk 1:2 bears or is intended to bear a meaningdifferent from the generally accepted
καθωσ. Granted that
καθα appears onlyonce in the NA27/UBS4
γντ (Mt 27.10
και εδωκαν αυτα εισ τον αγρον τουκεραμεωσ, καθα συνεταχεν μοι κυριοσ). My own view is that
καθα in D05 (i.e.in Codex Bezae) means exactly the same as
καθωσ in the chief
μσσ.
ι do NOTthink that there’s an implicit direct object in a hA of
κατ‘ hA but ratherthat
καθα is an adverbial conjunction.” In support of this view
ι cited thearticle on
καθα in
βδαγ and article 64.16 of Louw & Nida where
καθα andKAQWS are represented as essentially equivalent adverbial conjunctions.(3) Chuck Tripp, Sat, 24 Aug 2002 09:26:37 -0800: noted (a) that
λσψ (andThayer too) also represents
καθα and
καθωσ as equivalent; but then, (b)checked Biblical usage of
καθα and
καθο. He cites
λχχ Gen. 7:9, 16, 19:8 asinstances wherein the relative pronoun hA can be understood as a realdirect object (or subject) of the subordinate verb, and
λχχ Judith 3:3where
καθο may be understood as
καθ‘ hO where the relative pronoun issubject of a singular verb . Finally he thinks that
καθα in Mt 27:10 mayjust as well be understood as
καθ‘ hA with hA as the real direct object ofthe subordinate verb
ενετειλατο.(4) In response to Chuck
, ι will say that
ι think his strongest point maylie in the usage of
καθο with a singular verb in Judith 3:3 (
χῥσαι καθο ANARESKHi
σοι); on the other hand
, ι think it’s just as likely or more sothat ARESKHi here is impersonal rather than singular because hO issingular–and
ι think the same may be true in the comparable text of Gen.19:8
εισιν μοι δυο θυγατερεσ hAI
ουκ εγνωσαν ανδρα εχαχω αυτασ προσ hUMASKAI
χῥσασθε αυταισ καθα αν ARESKNi hUMIN: while we might say that ARESKHithere is singular because hA is a neuter plural subject (and so ordinarilytaking a singular verb),
ι think it’s just as likely that ARESKHi in bothtexts is impersonal (cf. Lat.
πλαξετνε τιβι?, Fr. vous-plaît-il?, Ger.stimmt es Ihnen?) and that both
καθα and
καθο are essentially adverbialconjunctions.
ι would add that what makes this little question the moredifficult to adjudicate is that there’s a real Hellenistic Greekpredilection for creating adverbs with
κατα + acc., whether spelled as oneword or as two, e.g.
κατα μεροσ (“partially”),
καθ‘ hOLOU (“generally”),etc. (Cf.
λσψ s.v.
κατα βιιι. Ultimately
ι guess the question must bewhether we suppose that a hA in
καθα is intended to point to specific itemsincluded in the tradition handed down by the eye-witnesses referred to inLk 1:2 or rather that Luke is referring generally to those traditions. Andthat’s a judgment that may have to be made on considerations other than thegrammar of this particular atomic unit of text.– Carl
ω. ConradDepartment of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)Most months:: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville
, νξ 28714/(828) 675-4243cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
ορ cwconrad at ioa.comWWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/
Less than Greek 101…Lk 1:4
των/hWN