[b-greek] Re: Matt 15:22-

From: clayton stirling bartholomew (c.s.bartholomew@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Sun Dec 17 2000 - 15:00:58 EST


Roger,

Do look in the archives. This text has been discussed before. A few comments
on your questions:


on 12/17/00 9:16 AM, RHutchin@aol.com wrote:

> Matthew describes an encounter with the Canaanite woman.
>
> Matt 15
> 22 KAI IDOU GUNH CANANAIA APO TWN hORIWN EKEINWN EXELQOUSA EKRAZEN LEGOUSA
> ELENSON ME KURIE hUIOS DAVID hH QUGATHR MOU KAKWS DAIMONIZETAI
> 23 hO DE OUK APEKRIQH AUTHi LOGON KAI PROSELQONTES hOI MAQHTAI AUTOU
> HPWTOUN AUTON LEGONTES APOLUSON AUTHN hOTI KRAZEI OPISQEN hHMWN
> 24 hO DE APOKRIQEIS EIPEN OUK APESTALHN EI MH EIS TA PROBATA TA APOLWLOTA
> OIKOU ISRAHL
> 25 hH DE ELQOUSA PROSEKUNEI AUTWi LEGOUSA KURIE BOHQEI MOI
>
> From the text, can the translator tell whether Christ in v 24 is responding
> to what the woman said or to what the disciples said? Could one legitimately
> take either position?

You are asking two questions. Who was Jesus talking to and what was he
talking about. We need to keep these questions sorted out.

It is not at all clear that the Canaanite woman was within the hearing of
the first part of this exchange. Probably not. Jesus first reply is
addressed to the disciples (see L. Morris Pillar, '92, H.A.W. Meyer) but it
isn't really an answer to their request, but a commentary on the situation.

> If one takes the position that Christ is responding to His disciples, is
> Christ agreeing with them (that the woman should be sent away) or disagreeing
> with them (that the woman should be allowed to stay)? Could one legitimately
> take either position?

This is perhaps a false either/or. Jesus didn't agree or disagree, he
changed the subject. The disciples are asking Jesus to get rid of this woman
who is pestering us. Jesus responds with some teaching about his mission, a
commentary on the situation. If he were in total agreement with them he
would have commanded the Canaanite woman to leave and that would have been
the end of it.

Some latter day politically correct commentators think that the disciples
were really asking Jesus to first grant the Canaanite woman's request and
then send her away. There is no linguistic, historical or cultural basis for
this notion. This sort of nonsense is the result of trying to bring the
disciples into ideological conformity with the cultural relativism or our
current era. The disciples were not advocates of multiculturalism.
 
Clay

--
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062



---
B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek
You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com]
To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu
To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu




This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:36:44 EDT