In order to determine the meaning of EI hUIOS EI TOU QEOU in Matt.
4.1-11, is it not helpful to look for parallels elsewhere in the
Gospel? The most obvious one to me is
Matt. 27.40: SWSON SEAUTON, EI hUIOS EI TOU QEOU, KAI KATABHQI APO
TOU STAUROU
Would we naturally read this as "since you are the Son of God"?
Would we not rather translate "*if* you are the Son of God", with an
element of sarcasm, doubt or irony implied? Jeffrey himself
translates the phrase this way later in the essay when discussing
this verse (see n. 25 and around there). In my opinion, Jeffrey
rightly draws attention also to Matt. 26.53 in this context, but
do not these parallels challenge the contention that we should
translate *Since* earlier on?
But apologies if this comment is premature; it may be answered in the
rest of the essay.
Mark
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Dr Mark Goodacre M.S.Goodacre@bham.ac.uk
Dept. of Theology, University of Birmingham
Homepage: http://www.bham.ac.uk/theology/goodacre