RE: Mark 7:19 - He Declared All Foods Clean
Carlton Winbery (winberyc@popalex1.linknet.net)
Mon, 7 Jul 1997 17:37:01 +0400
Mike Hawkins wrote;
>I will agree that the phrase KAQARIZWN PANTA TA BRWMATA (making clean
>all foods) is in the MSS. However, why do translators insert the phrase
>"Thus he declared" [NASB, NWT] or "In saying this, Jesus declared ..."
>[NIV] since this is not in the text? I am sure that translators have
>their reasons. Does anyone know what those reasons are, as opposed to
>just leaving it "cleansing all food?"
>
Mike,
The textual problem relative to this phrase is well documented in the N-A27
and probably earlier versions as well. The problem has to do with the form
of the word. The evidence is given in the text as the second one word
substitution in the verse. The text printed is KAQARIZWN followed by PANTA
TA BRWMATA. That word is supported by the vast majority of the greek mss,
including the ones used by Erasmus, Beza (except D and some old Latin which
have the third person singular ZEI instead), Stephanus, and the KJV
translators. However, some rather good non-byzantine mss (K gamma 33 700
2542, and a few more) have the neuter ptc. form ZON. This later form could
be interpreted as the KJV does, but we have no evidence that they had any
of them. The masculine form of the participle surely has Jesus as its
subject. The subject of the indicative form would be "he" and would surely
refer to Jesus. Thus the translation that Jesus cleansed all foods is a
good translation. The KJV interpretation seems to indicate that the food
is simply "purged" from the body by the intestines. The other
interpretations seem to say more.
Carlton Winbery