[B-Greek] Time Reference in Jn 6:16-21, Matt. 14:22-27, Mk 6:45-62

Elizabeth Kline kline_dekooning at earthlink.net
Wed Jun 4 14:54:02 EDT 2008


On Jun 3, 2008, at 3:20 PM, George F Somsel wrote:

> I see no way to determine that.  It doesn't say how long it took  
> them to row 3 - 4 miles in Jn though the Mt // indicates that it  
> would be longer than usual since they had an opposing wind.  Mk  
> seems to indicate that the night had largely passed since it was the  
> fourth quarter.  Would the darkness have begun to disperse?  That is  
> somewhat difficult to say as well.  It was apparently between 3 and  
> 6 am.  The degree of light would depend upon the season.

George,

I agree that the language does not fix the time beyond the 3-6am  
window. However, there are other words used for early morning  
including PRWI, PRWIA, ORQROS, ORQRINOS. In John 20:1 the author uses  
PRWI but feels the need to qualify it by SKOTIAS ETI OUSHS. Danker  
(BDAG 382) suggests that PWRI is equivalent to the fourth watch of the  
night.

JN 20:1 THi DE MIAi TWN SABBATWN MARIA hH MAGDALHNH ERCETAI PRWI  
SKOTIAS ETI OUSHS EIS TO MNHMEION KAI BLEPEI TON LIQON HRMENON EK TOU  
MNHMEIOU.

The narratives Jn 6:16-21, Matt. 14:22-27, Mk 6:45-62 include to  
darkness but no references to daylight. If Jesus approached the boat  
while it was still dark we have yet another question left unanswered.  
How did the twelve see him?

Mk 6:49 hOI DE IDONTES AUTON EPI THS QALASSHS PERIPATOUNTA EDOXAN
hOTI FANTASMA ESTIN, KAI ANEKRAXAN

MT 6:26 hOI DE MAQHTAI IDONTES AUTON EPI THS QALASSHS
PERIPATOUNTA ETARACQHSAN LEGONTES hOTI FANTASMA ESTIN, KAI APO TOU
FOBOU EKRAXAN.

I did a little work on FANTASMA to see if it implies something that  
provides its own light from within, but I wasn't able to determine  
this other than via etymology which we all no is of no value in  
questions like this. The gospel narratives assume that the twelve can  
see Jesus at some distance from the boat. I have been in small boats  
at night with strong winds and I find this to be more than a little  
implausible. But this doesn't seem to pose a problem for narrators of  
Jn, MK, MT. So perhaps they are thinking about early predawn light.



Elizabeth Kline







More information about the B-Greek mailing list