David Lim wrote:BYZ/WHNU wrote:[Matt 7] [14] τι στενη η πυλη και τεθλιμμενη η οδος η απαγουσα εις την ζωην και ολιγοι εισιν οι ευρισκοντες αυτην
I can't figure out what "τι" is doing there.. Is it an adverbial interrogative determiner such that "τι στενη" means "how narrow"? Or is it an adverbial interrogative particle such that "τι στενη η πυλη και τεθλιμμενη η οδος η απαγουσα εις την ζωην" means "why, narrow [is] the gate and constricted [is] the path that leads into the life"? Or could it be that "οτι" was intended, as TR has it? LSJ says:
LSJ wrote:IV. τί as exclamatory Adv., how . . ! “τί ὡραιώθησαν σιαγόνες σου ὡς τρυγόνες” LXX Ca.1.10, cf. 4.10; τί θέλω how I wish! Ev.Luc.12.49; τί στενή v.l. in Ev.Matt.7.14.
But the first two are not quite the same as the third. Moreover can these three mean "why, ..." instead? Or does anyone think that "οτι" is the original?
LSJ is closer; note that it is citing Biblical texts -- GNT and LXX. This seems to be a Semitism.
BDAG, s.v. τίς
infram:
3. exclamatory expression of extent or degree, how! adv. τί (transl. of Hebr. מָה; W-S. §21, 4; B-D-F §299, 4; Rob. 739; 1176; LXX [Ps 3:2; SSol 1:10; 7:7; 2 Km 6:20]; Basilius, Hexaëm. p. 8b MPG τί καλὴ ἡ τάξις [s. JTrunk, De Basilio Magno sermonis Attici imitatore: Wissensch. Beilage z. Jahresber. d. Gymn. Ehingen a. D. 1911, 36]) τί στενή Mt 7:14; τί θέλω Lk 12:49 (s. θέλω 1, end, and Black, Aramaic Approach3, ’67, 121–24).—M-M. EDNT.
Not quite the same, but somewhat similar is colloquial English: "What a shame!" or "What a strange thing!" -- where the interrogative word expresses a degree of wonderment.