Ulrich Berges, «'Ich gebe Jerusalem einen Freudenboten'
Synchrone und diachrone Beobachtungen zu Jes 41,27», Vol. 87 (2006) 319-337
The references to Zion and Jerusalem (41,27; 44,26.28; 45,13; 46,13) in the
section Isa 40–48 dedicated to Jacob and Israel and which follows the Prologue in
40,1-11, require an explanation because they present the perspective of the return
from the point of view of the Jewish homeland, which for the first time appears
only in Isa 49,14. Synchronically Isa 41,27 interrupts the parallel double structure
of the dispute with the foreign gods in 41,21-24.25-29. Diachronically Isa 41,27
is not attributable to the redactor of the first collection, composed between 539
and 520 BC, but to a more recent hand, which — starting from the first Servant
Song with its expansion and reinterpretation with Darius I in mind — introduces
the perspective of the return into the dispute with foreign gods. JHWH proves his
unique and overpowering sovereignty over history not only with regard to Cyrus
but also to Darius I.
68 Hellen Mardaga
an important part in discussions concerning the authorship of the gos-
pel, since it is one of the verses in which the author testifies about himself
(cfr. 1,14; 21,24)3. We are not entering into the discussion concerning the
authorship4, but we will rather concentrate on the use and meaning of
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Jn 19,35:
καὶ ὠἑωÏακὼς μεμαÏÏ„á½»Ïηκεν, καὶ ἀληθινὴ αá½Ï„οῦ á¼ÏƒÏ„ιν ἡ μαÏÏ„Ï…Ïία,
καὶ á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος οἶδεν ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγει, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς πιστεύ[σ]ητε.
With regard to the interpretation of the pronoun in this verse, there
is no general consensus among exegetes. In exegetical literature á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
in Jn 19,35 is understood in four different ways: (1) á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος refers to
God or Christ; (2) á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος indicates the eyewitness (ὠἑωÏακώς), being
the author (the evangelist or redactor); (3) á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος is the soldier from Jn
19,34; (4) á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος denotes the beloved disciple and á½€ ἑωÏακώς designates
the soldier.
In this contribution we will propose an additional fifth possibility,
namely that á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Jn 19,35 is resuming αá½Ï„οῦ in the preceding
construction αá½Ï„οῦ (á¼ÏƒÏ„ιν ἡ μαÏÏ„Ï…Ïία). The beloved disciple is “the one
who sees†(ὠἑωÏακώς) and who subsequently bears witness to what he
has seen (αá½Ï„οῦ …á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος).
I
The afore-mentioned theses explain the use of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Jn 19,35 as
follows:
(1) á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος refers to God or Christ. Authors who defend this interpre-
tation assume that á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Jn 19,35 denotes God or Christ, a witness
to whom the speaker appeals5. The phrase á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος οἶδεν ὅτι ἀληθῆ λέγει
Hintergrund des Neuen Testaments und des zeitgenössischen hellenistischen Schrifttums
(Freiburg-Göttingen 1991) esp. 63-162, 209-75; W. Schenk, Kommentiertes Lexicon zum
vierten evangelium (New York-Ontario-Wales 1993) 313-14.
The same goes for the discussion about the Aramaic origin of the fourth gospel. De-
3
fenders of the Aramaic origin study the use of the pronouns but at present little attention
is given to this issue.
This contribution is based on the thesis I wrote to obtain a Master’s degree in Theol-
4
ogy, entitled: “Het gebruik en de betekenis van á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Joh, 19,35†(Onderzoeksscriptie
tot verkrijging van de graad van Licentiaat in de Godgeleerdheid, Promoter: G. Van Belle;
Leuven 2002). I thank Professor G. Van Belle for providing me the necessary documents,
which facilitated my research.
E.A. Abbott, Johannine Grammar (Diatessarica 6; London 1906) 141-142; J. Ross,
5
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος, ET 17 (1905-1906) 287: “That in Jn 19,35 ‘He knoweth that he saith true’ á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
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