Quote:
Originally Posted by k.seymore  I gotta admit, I don't know Greek, and I'm not even that good at English, but there might be a reason every major translation translates it the other way. Saying "the Christ is Jesus" and "See, this proves that the Christ is Jesus" and "they would be very interested in who the Messiah is" sound as awkward to me as if someone said, "I wonder who the coming president is." |
I am inclined to agree. I'm looking at Carson and he does argue (as Lane mentioned) that "the
hina-clause must on syntactical grounds be rendered 'that you may believe that the Christ, the Son of God, is Jesus'." Based upon this exegetical point, Carson then proceeds to argue "[t]hat the fundamental question being addressed by the Evangelist is not 'Who is Jesus?', which might be asked by either Christians or non-Christians, if with slightly different emphases; but 'Who is the Messiah?' If that is understood as an identity question, as it must be,
Christians would not ask it because they already knew the answer. Those who would ask it would be unconverted Jews, along with proselytes and God-fearers, for the category 'Messiah' was important to them, and the concern to identify him would be of great interest." (See Carson,
The Gospel according to John, p. 662.
I'm not convinced by Carson that "the
hina-clause must on syntactical grounds be rendered" that way. If he's right, then virtually every translator but him has missed it.
Blessings,
DTK