Re: Double negative in Jn 6.63

From: Carl W. Conrad (cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu)
Date: Sun Aug 01 1999 - 20:06:56 EDT


<x-rich>At 10:06 AM +1200 8/2/99, N & RJ Hanscamp wrote:

<excerpt>I wonder if someone could comment on the meaning of the phrase
H SARX OUK WFELEI OUDEN. I realise that the double negative does not
create a positive (as in English), but I wonder what it serves as
here?

</excerpt>

This is ordinary Greek; negative adverbs or pronouns such as OUDEN,
OUPOTE, OUDEIS, regularly have the negative particle OU/MH preceding
the major word negated. The OUDEN certain has intensifying force here:
hH SARX OUK OFELEI would be meaningful by itself as "Flesh does not
avail." Adding OUDEN makes it "Flesh does not avail at all."

Carl W. Conrad

Department of Classics, Washington University

Summer: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243

cwconrad@artsci.wustl.edu

WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/

</x-rich>



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