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.
80 Hellen Mardaga
In 7,29 κἀκεῖνός is used in order to refer to ὠπέμψας με. As elsewhere
in the gospel (cfr. 1,8; 5,38.39) the pronoun resumes the preceding αá½Ï„ός.
Opposed to á¼Î³á½½ and ὑμεῖς the pronoun again refers to a third person.
16,7-8
á¼á½°Î½ Î³á½°Ï Î¼á½´ ἀπέλθω,
ὠπαÏάκλητος οá½Îº á¼Î»Îµá½»ÏƒÎµÏ„αι Ï€Ïὸς ὑμᾶς·
á¼á½°Î½ δὲ ποÏευθῶ,
πέμψω αá½Ï„ὸν Ï€Ïὸς ὑμᾶς.
καὶ á¼Î»Î¸á½¼Î½ á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος
In 16,8 á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος resumes the preceding αá½Ï„όν that refers to á½
παÏάκλητος in 16,7b.
Can we explain the use of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in 19,35 in a similar way? If we
compare the grammatical structure of the verse to the previous examples,
it seems possible. Jn 19, 35 is a parenthesis. The pronoun á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος resumes
αá½Ï„οῦ and the pronoun clearly refers to ὠἑωÏακως. Inside the parenthe-
sis in 19,35 a new aside is placed which confirms that the testimony of
the eyewitness is true:
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 πιστεύσητε.
The beloved disciple is the one who sees and testifies. He emphasizes
that what he has seen is really true, so that people may believe. John
does not only use the construction αá½Ï„οῦ…á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος…á½Î¼Îµá¿–Ï‚ in 19,35 but
also in 5,38 (αá½Ï„οῦ…á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος…á½Î¼Îµá¿–Ï‚) and 5,39 (αá½Ï„οῦ…á¼ÎºÎµá¿–ναί…á¼Î¼Î¿á¿¦).
This interpretation of á¼ÎºÎµá¿–νος in 19,35 makes Sabbe’s explanation of the
pronoun on the basis of Mc 15,19 superfluous.
Hellen MARDAGA
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