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.
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The Use and Meaning of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
αá½Ï„οῦ. In the fourth gospel we find similar verses in which the pronoun
in used in this way such as 5,37-38; 7,29; 10,6 and 16,8.
5,37-38
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος μεμαÏÏ„á½»Ïηκεν πεÏὶ á¼Î¼Î¿á¿¦.
οὔτε φωνὴν αá½Ï„οῦ πώποτε ἀκηκόατε
οὔτε εἶδος αá½Ï„οῦ ἑωÏάκατε,
καὶ τὸν λόγον αá½Ï„οῦ οá½Îº ἔχετε á¼Î½ ὑμῖν μένοντα,
ὅτι ὃν ἀπέστειλεν á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
τούτῳ ὑμεῖς οὠπιστεύετε.
After á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in 5,37a, the demonstrative αá½Ï„οῦ (5,37b-38a) indicates
the father three times and in turn this threefold αá½Ï„οῦ is resumed with
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος. The opposition with ὑμεῖς can justify that the evangelist chooses
to use á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος here40.
5,39
á¼Ïαυνᾶτε Ï„á½°Ï‚ γÏαφάς,
ὅτι ὑμεῖς δοκεῖτε á¼Î½ αá½Ï„αῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἔχειν·
καὶ á¼ÎºÎµá¿–ναί εἰσιν αἱ μαÏÏ„Ï…Ïοῦσαι πεÏὶ á¼Î¼Î¿á¿¦
In 5,39 Jesus discusses the testimony in the Scriptures. The evangelist
uses á¼ÎºÎµá¿–ναί as a resumption of the preceding á¼Î½ αá½Ï„αῖς. Because of the
opposition with á¼Î¼Î¿á¿¦41, John chooses á¼ÎºÎµá¿–ναί to resume αá½Ï„αῖς. After
the reason is given why the Jews search the Scriptures, Ï„á½°Ï‚ γÏαφάς…á¼Î½
αá½Ï„αῖς is resumed by á¼ÎºÎµá¿–ναί42.
7,28-29
καὶ ἀπ’ á¼Î¼Î±Ï…τοῦ οá½Îº á¼Î»á½µÎ»Ï…θα,
ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ἀληθινὸς ὠπέμψας με,
ὃν ὑμεῖς οá½Îº οἴδατε·
á¼Î³á½¼ οἶδα αá½Ï„όν,
ὅτι παÏ’ αá½Ï„οῦ εἰμι
κἀκεῖνός με ἀπέστειλεν.
L. Morris, John, 329: “There is a contrast between emphatic pronouns: He sent the
40
Son, but you do not believeâ€. See also A. Buttmann’s reaction on G.E. Steitz, who defends
that á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος is used because of the identity. Also Bretschneider and Wahl note the opposi-
tion and classify á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in Jn 5,38 with other verses in which the pronoun refers to the
more remote.
B. Weiss, Johannes, 247; P. Schanz, Johannes, 256. According to A.T. Robertson,
41
Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 707-08, is an opposition with ὑμεῖς; vgl. F. Blass,
Grammatik, 167 (§ 49,3); N. Turner, Syntax (Grammar, dl. 3) 45.
C.K. Barrett, The Gospel according to St John. An Introduction with Commentary
42
and Notes on the Greek Text (London 1955) 223, indicates that á¼Î½ αá½Ï„αῖς occurs “in a
position of emphasisâ€.
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