Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Raymond E. Brown and John 20:17

"The traditional exegesis, repeated even by such penetrating scholars as Loisy, Bernard, Hoskyns, and Lightfoot, is that Jesus says 'your Father' and 'my Father,' rather than 'our Father,' because he wants to keep distinct his special relationship to the Father . . . from that of his followers (adopted sons). Catharinet, art. cit., has proved just the opposite. To understand the 'my Father and your Father, my God and your God' pattern, one should recall Ruth 1:16. Urged by Naomi to stay behind in Moab, Ruth insists that, even though not an Israelite, she will come to Israel with Naomi; for from this moment, 'Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.' Similarly the statement of the Johannine Jesus is one of identification and not of disjunction. Jesus is ascending to his Father who will now become the Father of his disciples (Anchor Bible, Gospel According to John XIII-XXI, Raymond Brown, p. 1016-1017).

2 comments:

Matt13weedhacker said...

Hi Edgar.

They make an interesting comparison:

ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 20:17 Greek NT: WH / UBS
“...τὸν Πατέρα μου καὶ Πατέρα ὑμῶν καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν...”

Literally: “...the Father of-me and a Father of-yourselves, and God of-me and God of-yourselves...”

Ruth 1:16 Greek OT: Septuagint with Diacritics
“...ὁ λαός σου λαός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός σου Θεός μου...”

Literally: “...the people of-you, people of-me, and the God of-you, a God of-me...”

Psalm 22:1 Greek OT: Septuagint with Diacritics
“...ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεός μου...”

Literally: “...the God, the God of-me...”

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 27:46 Greek NT: Westcott/Hort with Diacritics
“...τοῦτ’ ἐστιν Θεέ μου Θεέ μου...”

Literally: “...that is: God of-me, God of-me...”

ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 15:34 Greek NT: WH / UBS
“...ὁ Θεός μου ὁ Θεός μου...”

Literally: “...the God, the God of-me...”

Edgar Foster said...

Matthew13weedhacker:

Thanks for posting these comparisons. The information complements what Brown is saying.

All the best,
Edgar