Re: Mark 4-3- a sower/the s

From: Todd Pedlar (todd@handel.phys.nwu.edu)
Date: Wed Jun 18 1997 - 14:05:37 EDT


Ben Crick wrote:
>
> On 18 Jun 97 (08:22:44), lance_crimm@daystar.com wrote:
> > I think it is simple and some are complicating matters.
> > An article is used and the verse says, "The sower went out to sow.."
>
> Gentlemen, are we not straining at a gnat here? To me the article simply
> is a storytelling gambit; as one would say "This sower went out to sow
> some seed....".

Definitely showing signs of straining... That people insist that
"the sower went out..." must, because of the use of the English
definite article, is quite amusing.

> As Greek lacks the indefinite article altogether, sometimes an English
> indefinite article is appropriate where the Greek definite article stands.
> But an English indefinite article is not always appropriate where no article
> at all is found in the Greek. Or am I wrong?

There is of course the famous John 1:1:

"...KAI QE0S HN hO LOGOS."

which the Jehovah's Witnesses translate as "...and the Word was a god."

and everyone else translates "...and the Word was God."

But we won't get into that, lest we go way beyond the scope of
this group.... :)

Todd

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