Re: Puzzled on Inf. in Mk 2:15

Maurice A. O'Sullivan (mauros@iol.ie)
Tue, 21 Oct 1997 17:32:01 +0100

At 11:07 21/10/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Mark 2:15 KAI GINETAI KATAKEISQAI...
>
>How is the infinitive functioning here? From the flow of the context I want
>to translate the phrase as "and he was reclining"--but that doesn't fit any
>typical patterns of infinitive useage that I recall. I note that the NIV
>translates it temporally: "when he was reclining"--but I don't think of
>other infinitives used temporally without a preposition (META, EN, PRO,
>etc.).
>
>Any suggestions appreciated.

Rod:
You might like to have a look at p.16-17 of Vol. 1 of Moulton's "Grammar of
New Testament Greek" where he is dealing with with EGENETO under the
rubric of "Hebraisms in Luke". He has a reference to :
" EAV GENHTAI with infinitive was good contemporary vernacular .
So was GINETAI ( as Mk 2:15 ) see Par P 49 ( ii / B.C ).
>From this to EGENETO is but a step, which Luke alone of NT writers seems to
have taken; the isolated example in Mk 2:23 .........."

The use of EGENETO + infinitive in Luke gets a very informative treatment
in Zerwick's "Biblical Greek", where in a footnote to par. 389
he classifies N.T usage under three headings:

1. EGENETO with a finite verb, not preceeded by KAI (the construction used
by the LXX which often omits the KAI necessary to Hebrew idiom
2. EGENETO with KAI and a finite verb ( the 'Hebrew construction' )
3.EGENETO with the infinitive ( the 'Greek' construction ).

The "Greek construction" would seem to chime with Moulton's opionion on
"good contemporary vernacular", wouldn't you say?

Hope this is of some help.
Regards,
Maurice

Maurice A. O'Sullivan [ Bray, Ireland ]
mauros@iol.ie

[using Eudora Pro 3 and Trumpet Winsock 3.0d ]