Luke 13:16

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An Exegetical Examination of Luke 13:16 with Focus on the Particle ἰδού

This exegetical study of ‘An Exegetical Examination of Luke 13:16 with Focus on the Particle ἰδού‘ is based on a b-greek discussion from a recent online query regarding the syntactic and rhetorical function of the particle ἰδού in Luke 13:16. The passage, which depicts Jesus’ defense of healing a woman on the Sabbath, presents a grammatical structure that prompted a discussion concerning the placement and emphasis of this specific interjection.

The central exegetical issue under consideration revolves around the seemingly unusual, or at least distinctive, mid-sentence placement of the particle ἰδού within Jesus’ rhetorical question in Luke 13:16. Typically, ἰδού frequently appears at the beginning of a clause or sentence, serving to introduce new information, draw attention to a significant event, or mark a climax. Its appearance in apposition to a temporal phrase (“δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη” – eighteen years) raises questions about its precise semantic force and rhetorical impact in this context, particularly as it relates to the duration of the woman’s suffering and the perceived urgency of her liberation on the Sabbath.

ταύτην δὲ θυγατέρα Ἀβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; (Luke 13:16, Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• No significant textual differences are observed between the Nestle 1904 edition and the SBLGNT (2010) for Luke 13:16. The wording and particle placement are identical.

Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)

Textual Criticism (NA28): A review of the Novum Testamentum Graece (NA28) critical apparatus for Luke 13:16 reveals no significant textual variants pertaining to the word ἰδοὺ or the surrounding phrase “δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη” that would alter its position or fundamental meaning. The consensus among critical editions maintains the particle’s placement as presented in the Nestle 1904 text, indicating a high degree of textual stability for this particular construction.

Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG):

• BDAG (Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Danker, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature): Defines ἰδού as an interjection meaning ‘see!’, ‘look!’, ‘behold!’, ‘lo!’, ‘well!’. It primarily serves to introduce something new or noteworthy, drawing the reader’s or listener’s attention to a particular person, object, or event. It can function to mark a climax, indicate a sudden appearance, or signal the beginning of a significant statement. In this context, its placement emphasizes the duration of the woman’s suffering.
• KITTEL (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament): The entry for ἰδού (under ὁράω) highlights its function as an emphatic particle, often carrying a sense of urgency or divine revelation. In the Septuagint, it frequently translates the Hebrew הִנֵּה (hinneh), which similarly draws attention to a surprising, important, or imminent event. Kittel notes that ἰδού can introduce a parenthetical clause or emphasize a particular detail within a sentence. Its use here after the duration “δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη” underscores the sheer length of her affliction, presenting it as a stark and compelling fact that demands immediate consideration from Jesus’ opponents. It effectively acts as a rhetorical flourish, intensifying the force of the argument by highlighting the extreme nature of her prolonged bondage.

Translation Variants with Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis

Grammatically, Luke 13:16 is a rhetorical question posed by Jesus, designed to expose the hypocrisy of the synagogue leader. The clause “ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη” is a relative clause modifying “θυγατέρα Ἀβραὰμ οὖσαν” (being a daughter of Abraham). The particle ἰδοὺ is placed between the verb “ἔδησεν” (bound) and the temporal phrase “δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη” (eighteen years).

Rhetorically, this unconventional placement of ἰδοὺ is highly significant. Rather than simply introducing a new fact, it interjects a sense of immediacy and astonishment specifically *at the duration* of the woman’s suffering. It is as if Jesus is saying, “This woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—*behold!*—for eighteen years! Ought she not to be released?” The particle amplifies the indignation and moral urgency of Jesus’ argument. It is not merely a statement of fact but an exclamation drawing particular attention to the shocking length of her bondage. This emphasis serves to heighten the contrast between the synagogue leader’s concern for animals on the Sabbath and his lack of compassion for a suffering human being, compelling the audience to recognize the profound injustice.

Different translations may render this emphasis in various ways, sometimes reflecting the rhetorical force explicitly, and other times integrating it more subtly into the flow of the sentence, depending on their interpretive aims and target language conventions.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

The analysis demonstrates that the particle ἰδοὺ in Luke 13:16 functions not merely as an introductory marker but as an emphatic interjection specifically highlighting the prolonged duration of the woman’s affliction. Its mid-sentence placement draws attention to the “δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη” with a sense of urgency and rhetorical force, bolstering Jesus’ argument against the legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath. Translators must decide how best to convey this emphasis in the target language.

Here are three translation suggestions for Luke 13:16, each with an italicized explanation of its rationale:

1. “And this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound – behold! – for eighteen years, should she not have been released from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
   This translation retains the interjectory nature of ἰδοὺ, directly mirroring its placement and emphasizing the surprise or gravity associated with the duration of her suffering.
2. “And this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years – should she not have been released from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”
   This rendering incorporates the emphatic force of ἰδοὺ into an adjective (“long”) modifying the duration, aiming for a more idiomatic flow in English while still conveying the astonishment at the length of her suffering.
3. “And this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for fully eighteen years – was it not necessary for her to be loosed from this chain on the Sabbath day?”
   This option translates ἰδοὺ with an intensifying adverb (“fully”), highlighting the completeness or totality of the eighteen years of bondage, thus emphasizing the profoundness of her affliction.

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