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A Textual Critical Analysis of the Prepositional Variant in Matthew 7:4
This exegetical study of A Textual Critical Analysis of the Prepositional Variant in Matthew 7:4 is based on a scholarly discussion concerning the textual tradition of the Greek New Testament. The discussion centers on the textual variations in Matthew 7:4, specifically regarding the choice between the prepositions ἀπὸ and ἐκ in the phrase ‘remove the speck from your eye’. A substantial majority of Greek manuscripts preserve ἀπὸ, a reading supported by several significant scholarly editions, while a minority of manuscripts and editors prefer ἐκ.
The main exegetical issue lies in the nuanced semantic distinction between ἀπὸ and ἐκ, which, while both translating as ‘from’ or ‘out of’, convey different spatial relationships and implications for the action of ‘casting out’ or ‘removing’. This choice impacts the precise imagery and intent of Jesus’ teaching regarding self-assessment and hypocrisy, specifically in the parable of the speck and the plank.
ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· Ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου. (Nestle 1904)
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- The SBLGNT (2010) concurs with the Nestle 1904 text, retaining the preposition ἀπὸ in Matthew 7:4. Therefore, no substantive difference exists in this specific textual variant between these two critical editions.
Textual Criticism (NA28) and Lexical Notes
The Nestle-Aland 28th edition (NA28), like the Nestle 1904 and SBLGNT, also adopts the reading ἀπὸ for Matthew 7:4, reflecting the strong external and internal evidence. The external support for ἀπὸ is overwhelming, found in most Byzantine manuscripts (E G K L M S U V W X Δ Θ Π Φ Ω 047 0211 [Byz ca. 1490 mss] f35 565. 892. 1500. 2224), and endorsed by critical editions such as Greeven, Soden, Tischendorf (7th ed.), and Vogels. Conversely, the variant ἐκ is attested in a fewer but significant group of manuscripts (ℵ B N Σ f1.13 33. 1424) and supported by Bover, Lachmann, Merk, and Tischendorf (8th ed.).
Internal arguments further corroborate the preference for ἀπὸ. Scholars like Alford (1:70), Soden (2:17), and Meyer (161) suggest that ἐκ likely arose through scribal assimilation to the preceding compound verb ἐκβάλω or to the identical expression found in Matthew 7:5. Weiss (101–2) similarly attributes the presence of ἐκ in Matthew 7:4 to a mechanical assimilation from 7:5. While ἐκ might appear ‘physically correct’ in the context of removal (Cook, 64–5), the possibility of scribal harmonization or accommodation weakens its claim.
Lexically, the prepositions ἀπὸ and ἐκ, while often translated similarly, possess distinct semantic ranges. According to BDAG, ἀπὸ (apo) primarily signifies “from, away from,” indicating separation, distance, or a point of departure, often from the exterior or vicinity of something. Kittel (TDNT) notes its diverse uses, including separation in a general sense. In contrast, ἐκ (ek), as per BDAG, denotes “out of, from,” specifically implying movement from the interior to the exterior, or indicating origin or source. Fritzsche (288) elucidates this distinction: “The reading ἐκ has no power to stand randomly in the place of the common ἀπὸ. And in fact ἐκ either came here from vs. 5 or ἀπὸ was altered into the more common ἐκ by a scribe on account of its being less customary. But the difference is this, that ἐκ signifies that something has fastened to another thing out of which it is now moving, ἀπὸ that something has been in a nearby thing from which it is now being separated.” This critical distinction highlights that ἀπὸ, though less “customary” in some expressions, might deliberately emphasize removal from proximity rather than extraction from within.
Translation Variants: Grammatical and Rhetorical Analysis
The choice between ἀπὸ and ἐκ for the phrase “remove the speck from your eye” presents subtle but significant grammatical and rhetorical implications. Grammatically, both prepositions govern the genitive case (τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου), but their inherent meanings shift the emphasis of the removal. The verb ἐκβάλω (ekbalō), meaning “to cast out, remove,” already contains the prefix ἐκ-, which intrinsically suggests movement from within. When compounded with another preposition, the precise relationship can be clarified or emphasized.
If ἐκ were adopted, the phrase ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου would create a strong semantic and phonetic echo, reinforcing the idea of extraction out of the eye’s interior. This would highlight a more invasive, internal removal. However, the consistent scribal tendency to harmonize with preceding elements, as noted by scholars like Meyer, makes this reading suspect from a critical standpoint.
The retained reading, ἀπὸ, in ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἀπὸ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, suggests a removal away from the eye. While the action of ἐκβάλω still implies ‘outward movement’, ἀπὸ specifies the point of separation as being from the vicinity or surface of the eye, rather than its deep interior. Fritzsche’s insight that ἀπὸ indicates separation from a “nearby thing” is crucial here. Rhetorically, this might subtly emphasize the act of detachment or disassociation from the flaw, rather than a deep, surgical extraction. Cook observes that ἀπὸ is “better as referring to the intention,” implying that the emphasis is on the will to separate the speck from the eye’s immediate presence, which aligns with the broader context of judgment and hypocrisy.
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
Based on the overwhelming external manuscript evidence and the compelling internal arguments against scribal assimilation, the preposition ἀπὸ is confidently affirmed as the original reading in Matthew 7:4. The nuanced distinction between ἀπὸ and ἐκ, while subtle, points to a deliberate choice by the original author to emphasize separation from proximity rather than necessarily extraction from within, fitting the metaphorical nature of removing a speck from one’s eye.
- “Let me remove the speck from your eye.” (This translation is standard, reflecting a general sense of separation.)
- “Allow me to cast the speck away from your eye.” (This emphasizes the act of moving the speck to a distance from the eye’s vicinity, aligning with ἀπὸ‘s nuance of separation from a point.)
- “Permit me to take the speck off your eye.” (This suggests removal from the surface or immediate proximity, capturing the ‘nearby thing’ aspect of ἀπὸ as explained by Fritzsche, and the intention of separation.)
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