Ambiguity of the Aramaic Text: Exhibit VI, A (Lk. 9:25)
Continuation of Our Translated Gospels: Some of the Evidence, by Charles Cutler Torrey:
Luke 9:25 and parallels. In another context, "gains the whole world, but loses himself" might not be challenged, though the enigmatic phrase does not sound like any word of Jesus. As Eaton (Comm., p. 141) remarks, "lose himself" is "a curious expression that seems to have no exact parallel." But the testimony of the preceding verse, joined to that of the exact parallels in Mark and Matthew, shows that Luke mistranslated, in giving to the Aramaic word the meaning which it usually has. He had the same word before him, twice, in the preceding verse, but in each case was debarred from this rendering by the immediately following clause.
This illustrates a standing characteristic: even more than the other translators, Luke renders words; faithfully, meticulously, often ingeniously, but very frequently without much regard to the context. Numerous examples will appear in the sequel. Also, this passage will be given further mention in the chapter: The Reflexive Pronoun and its Substitutes.
To be continued...
Continuation of Our Translated Gospels: Some of the Evidence, by Charles Cutler Torrey:
Luke 9:25 (Mk. 8:36; Mt. 16:26) according to Greek: What is a man profited, if he gains the whole world, but loses himself (נַפְשֵׁהּ)?
True rendering: . . . but loses his life (same word).
True rendering: . . . but loses his life (same word).
Luke 9:25 and parallels. In another context, "gains the whole world, but loses himself" might not be challenged, though the enigmatic phrase does not sound like any word of Jesus. As Eaton (Comm., p. 141) remarks, "lose himself" is "a curious expression that seems to have no exact parallel." But the testimony of the preceding verse, joined to that of the exact parallels in Mark and Matthew, shows that Luke mistranslated, in giving to the Aramaic word the meaning which it usually has. He had the same word before him, twice, in the preceding verse, but in each case was debarred from this rendering by the immediately following clause.
This illustrates a standing characteristic: even more than the other translators, Luke renders words; faithfully, meticulously, often ingeniously, but very frequently without much regard to the context. Numerous examples will appear in the sequel. Also, this passage will be given further mention in the chapter: The Reflexive Pronoun and its Substitutes.
To be continued...
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