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.
71
The Use and Meaning of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
(4) á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος denotes the beloved disciple and ἑωÏακώς designates the
soldier. M. Sabbe mainly supports this hypothesis12. Two elements from
his theory are important for our thesis: (i) he presupposes that á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
in Jn 19,35 is used in an antithesis. “The one who sees†is distinguished
from “the one who knowsâ€: the soldier “sees†and testifies, and the beloved
disciple “knows†that the soldier tells the truth; (ii) it explains Jn 19,35
starting from Mk 15,39. The centurion from Mk 15,39 proclaims “truly
this man was the Son of God!â€. He pierces Jesus’ side and testifies that
in the death of Jesus, eternal life becomes visible. The beloved disciple
in turn affirms the testimony of the soldier and writes it down in his
gospel, so that readers will believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God (cfr. Jn
20,31)13.
II
The reason why we are not agreeing with one of the afore-mentioned
four interpretations of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Jn 19,35, is first of all because gram-
mars and dictionaries of the New Testament do not seem to support any
of these opinions explicitly.
In grammars of the New Testament14 the use of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος is described in
different ways: (a) either they limit the meaning of the pronoun. In this
case it refers to a remote person or object as opposed to οὗτος that points
to a proximate person or object15 (b) or they describe the function of the
M. Sabbe, The Johannine Account of the Death of Jesus and its Synoptic Parallels
12
(Jn 19,16b-42), in ETL 70 (1994) 34-64.
G. Van Belle, Bloed en Water in Joh 19,34, in J. Haers, T. Merrigan & P. De Mey
13
(ed.), “Volk van God en gemeenschap van de gelovigenâ€. Pleidooien voor een zorgzame
kerkopbouw, (Averbode, 1999) 89-112, spec. 98-99.
See for example G.B. Winer, Grammatik des neutestamentlichen Sprachidioms als
14
sichere Grundlage der neutestamentlichen Exegese bearbeitet (Leipzig 41836) 147-51; J.T.
Beelen, Grammatica graecitatis Novi Testamenti (Leuven 1857) 151-55; J.H. Thayer, A
Grammar of the New Testament Greek by Alexander Buttman (Andover 1880) 103-06,
306; G.B. Winer & W.F. Moulton, A Treatise on the Grammar of New Testament Greek
Regarded as the Basis of New Testament Exegesis (Edinburgh 31882) 195-202; E. Combe,
Grammaire grecque du Nouveau Testament (Lausanne-Paris 1894) 51-53; F. Blass, Gram-
matik des neutestamentlichen Griechisch, (Göttingen 1896) 166-68; 161984 (+ F. Rehkopf)
239-40; A.T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical
Research (London 31919) 702-09; F.-M. Abel, Grammaire du Grec biblique suivie d’un choix
de Papyrus (Études Bibliques; Paris 1927) 139; N. Turner, A Grammar of New Testament
Greek, Vol III. Syntax (Edinburgh 1963) 45-46; D.B. Wallace, Greek Grammar Beyond the
Basics (Grand Rapids, MI 1996) 325-35.
M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek. Illustrated by Examples (English Edition by J. Smith;
15
Rome 1994) 68 (§ 214): “οὗτος for a proximate and á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος for a remote antecedent are
indeed distinguishedâ€.
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