Matthew 6.8 "before you ask him"
Posted: August 13th, 2014, 5:38 am
I have a question about Matthew 6.8:
"μὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς, οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν."
"Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
(This new question is actually linked to my previous query about "daily bread" in Matthew 6.11.)
I am particularly interested in the phrase: "πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν". I have a commentary of the Greek text which states that the use of the aorist infinitive indicates that Jesus is talking about requests which actually do not need to be made (or perhaps should not be made). As I tend to think that this is what Jesus implies in "μὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς", I would appreciate knowing B-Greek members' opinions on this.
Thank you -
Thomas
"μὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς, οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν."
"Be not therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."
(This new question is actually linked to my previous query about "daily bread" in Matthew 6.11.)
I am particularly interested in the phrase: "πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν". I have a commentary of the Greek text which states that the use of the aorist infinitive indicates that Jesus is talking about requests which actually do not need to be made (or perhaps should not be made). As I tend to think that this is what Jesus implies in "μὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς", I would appreciate knowing B-Greek members' opinions on this.
Thank you -
Thomas