Hellen Mardaga, «The Use and Meaning of e)kei=noj in Jn 19,35.», Vol. 20 (2007) 67-80
The demonstrative pronoun e)kei=noj occurs in the parenthesis of Jn 19,35, a verse which is important in discussions concerning the authorship of the fourth gospel. In general e)kei=noj is considered characteristic of John’s style, but there is no consensus among exegetes with regard to meaning of e)kei=noj in 19,35. Up to four different interpretations have been proposed for the pronoun in the present context. The author proposes a fifth possibility: e)kei=noj in Jn 19,35 resumes au)tou= in the preceding construction au)tou= e)stin h( marturi/a. The beloved disciple is ‘the one who sees’ and who subsequently bears witness to what he has seen.
76 Hellen Mardaga
as opposed to á¼Î³á½½. Secondly, it indicates a remote person, being Jesus,
who is opposed to John28.
3,30
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νον δεῖ αá½Î¾á½±Î½ÎµÎ¹Î½,
á¼Î¼á½² δὲ á¼Î»Î±Ï„τοῦσθαι.
The same antithesis between John and Jesus stands out in 3,30 where
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος and á¼Î¼á½³ are opposed to one another. This verse is generally given
as an example to illustrate the use of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος indicating a remote subject,
in contrast to á¼Î¼á½³29. The antithesis gives both pronouns emphasis30.
5,35
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος ἦν ὠλύχνος ὠκαιόμενος καὶ φαίνων,
ὑμεῖς δὲ ἠθελήσατε
ἀγαλλιαθῆναι Ï€Ïὸς á½¥Ïαν á¼Î½ Ï„á¿· φωτὶ αá½Ï„οῦ.
In 5,35 the evangelist lets Jesus describe who John is. In this verse
á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος (= John) is opposed to ὑμεῖς31. Because of the antithesis one can
attribute an emphatic function to á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος32. It is stated clearly that Jesus’
testimony differs from John’s.
5,47
εἰ δὲ τοῖς á¼ÎºÎµá½·Î½Î¿Ï… γÏάμμασιν οὠπιστεύετε,
πῶς τοῖς á¼Î¼Î¿á¿–Ï‚ ῥήμασιν πιστεύσετε;
For á¼ÎºÎµá½·Î½Î¿Ï… as a reference to Jesus, see for example: L.C. Fillion, Évangile selon St.
28
Jean. Introduction, critique et commentaire (La Sainte Bible, texte de la Vulgate, traduction
française en regard, avec commentaires) (Paris 1893) 61: “Comme ses disciples le Précurseur
désigne Jesus par un simple pronom (ante illum), qui est en cet endroit d’un bel effetâ€; M.-J.
Lagrange, Évangile selon Saint Jean, cxiv-cxv.
J.H. Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon, 194; E. Preuschen, Vollständiges griechisch-deut-
29
sches Handwörterbuch, 351; H. Ebeling, Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 136; G. Abbott-
Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, 777 (Edinburgh 1922) 137; W.
Bauer, Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch (21928) 372; 31937, 395; 41952, 434; 51958, 474;
comp. A.T. Robertson, Grammar of the Greek New Testament) 707 (placed under the use
of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος to indicate “The Remote Object [contrast]â€): “John speaks of Christ in contrast
to himself,… so in verse 30 á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νον-á¼Î¼á½³â€.
L. Morris, John, 242: “John sets ‘he’ and ‘I’ over against one another in emphatic
30
contrastâ€.
T. Zahn, Das Evangelium des Johannes, 304: “Die Haltung der Angeredeten oder des
31
Volks von Jezus. Und Judäa, als dessen Repräsentanten Jesus sie ansieht, gegenüber dem
Taüfer ist schon durch ὑμεῖς δέ im Gegensatz zu á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος als eine der hohen Bedeutung des
Mannes unangemessene und durch ἠθελήσατε als ein aus willkürlicher Entschliessung oder
Laune hervorhergehende gekenzeichnetâ€.
J.H. Bernard, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to St.
32
John, (vol. 1; 1928) 249: “á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος much used by Jn. To mark out the subject of a sentenceâ€;
R. Bultmann, Evangelium des Johannes, 221.
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