.
1) state of discussion
- judged 5 juxtapositions with the phrase „ὅ ἐστιν“ as translations
- shift of language: from Aramaic (or Hebrew) to Greek
Mark | Term A | language | Term B | language |
5:41 | "Talitha koum!" | Aramaic | "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" | Greek |
15:22 | place Golgotha | Aramaic or Hebrew | place of skull | Greek |
15:34 | "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" | Aramaic | "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" | Greek |
7:11 | corban | Hebrew | a gift | Greek |
7:34 | “Ephphatha“ | Aramaic | “Be opened“ | Greek |
2) current problem Mark 15:42
And already evening having arrived since it was „paraskeve“ which is (ὅ ἐστιν) „prosabbaton“ ...
2.1) shift of language
Words like „Golgotha“, „Ephphatha“ or „sabachthani“ are Aramaic words transliterated with Greek letters (in GMark). But „prosabbaton“ is a Greek loanword from Aramaic. „pro“ is a Greek prefix („before“), „sabbaton“ is the loanword.
Therefore the correct shift of language is
Mark | Term A | language | Term B | language |
15:42 | paraskeve (preparation) | Greek | prosabbaton (before-Sabbath) | Greek
loanword from Aramaic (or Hebrew) |
2.2) literary function
The literary function is here not a translation, but the words could be synonyms in the context of a different word usage.
- maybe a different regional word usage
- or maybe „paraskeve“ was in Mark's time the more modern term and „prosabbaton“ the older term
- or maybe ...
2.3.) the words
prosabbaton (before-Sabbath, before resting)
sources:
- LXX (
Psalm 92:1,
Judith 8:6, see also 2 Makk 8:26 „ἡ πρὸ τοῦ σαββάτου“ - „the before the Sabbath“)
- an ancient metallic
icosahedron (a toy or oracle?) - Egypt, 4th-3rd c. BC
It may be of interest that gentile Roman writers knew and used the word „
sabbatum“ and wrote against gentile Sabbath-sympathizer and the Jewish Sabbath observance. I think we can assume that the Gentiles in the 1st century knew very well what Sabbath was.
paraskeve (preparation, getting ready)
The problem here is the context.
Christian context
We have evidence that early Christians used „paraskeve“ with the meaning „Friday“. Sources:
- Didache 8:1, Martyrdom of Polycarp 7:1
- the Greeks named (up to today) their Friday „paraskeve“, Christian martyrs and saints had the name Paraskeve
- a Christian epitaph (Thanks to Ben!)
Ben C. Smith wrote:1. "
New Docs 3, 80" = G. H. R. Horsley,
New Documents Illustrating Early Christianity, entry 58 (παρασκευή), page 80:
At New Docs 1977, 67, a possible example was noted of an abbreviation for παρασκευή meaning 'Friday'. A more certain instance is afforded by IGCB 19 (Corinth, VI), a fragmentary Christian epitaph which concludes by providing the date when the deceased died (presumably): μη(νὶ) Σεπ[τεμβρίῳ] ἡμέρα | παρα[σκευή] (Il. 8-9, Bees' reading). Though the final word is partly restored, it can hardly be in doubt in such a dating context. But it should be noted that ἡμέρα cannot be read in Bees' photo of the stone: should the text perhaps read [ἡμέρᾳ] | παρα[σκευῆς]? At Il. 4-6 on the stone the wording λόγ(ον) δώση τῷ κ(υρίο)υ (sic) alludes to Rom. 14.12.
Jewish context
No evidence that Greek-speaking Jews used „paraskeve“ with the meaning „Friday“ or „before-Sabbath“
possible sources: Josephus (Ant 16:6:2), Synesius (epistle 4)
Josephus quoted or referred to an Edict of Augustus on Jewish Rights (1 BC). He wrote:
ἐγγύας τε μὴ ὁμολογεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐν σάββασιν ἢ τῇ πρὸ αὐτῆς παρασκευῇ ἀπὸ ὥρας ἐνάτης
A usual translation is
and that they be not obliged to go before any judge on the sabbath day, nor on the day of the preparation to it after the ninth hour (3 p.m.)
The problem is that Josephus doesn't write the word „day“ (ἡμέρα – hémera). But it is not necessary in Greek to write the word „day“. It could be indicated (for an example see
Mark 11:12). There are 3 possibilities:
a) the word „day“ is indicated
b) „paraskeve“ was also in Jewish context a fixed term for that day or a time of day
c) Josephus (or the Edict of Augustus) used the word simply with the meaning „preparation“ as an activity associated with the afternoon before the Sabbath
I think the first possibility a) can be ruled out. In that case (I assume) one would expect the word „paraskeve“ rather in genitive and not in dative (as it was written). So it comes down to b) or c).
Synesius of Cyrene –
Christian (!) author, „very“ late
Ben C. Smith wrote:3. "Synes., Ep. 4 p. 161d" =
Synesius, Epistle 4:
[11] Well, we were perforce satisfied with his explanation so long as daylight lasted and dangers were not imminent, but these failed not to return with the approach of night, for as the hours passed, the seas increased continually in volume. Now it so happened that this was the day on which the Jews make what they term the "Preparation" [ἡμέρα μὲν ἦν ἥντινα ἄγουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι παρασκευήν], and they reckon the night, together with the day following this, as a time during which it is not lawful to work with one's hands. They keep this day holy and apart from the others, and they pass it in rest from labor of all kinds.
Synesius is pretty late (overlapping century IV and V), so of course this may not reflect common usage from century I, but this reference is the most interesting so far, I think, when it comes to evaluating your idea. This instance, despite BDAG using it in order to support the noun as the name of a day of the week, seems to denote the actual activity: "the day on which the Jews make preparation."]
2.4) the Gospels
- In Mark, Matthew, Luke, the Dura-Europos Gospel and also in John 19:31 the word „
paraskeve“ is associated with the Sabbath. In John 19:14 it is associated with the passover.
John 19:14 - it was moreover the paraskeve of the passover
- In Mark, John and the Dura-Europos Gospel the word „paraskeve“ seems to refer rather to the
afternoon than to the day before the Sabbath.
Mark 15:42 - And already evening having arrived since it was paraskeve
John 19:14 - It was moreover the paraskeve of the passover, the hour was about the sixth
Dura-Europos - And as it was becoming evening upon the paraskeve
- In Luke and Matthew „paraskeve“ seems to refer rather to the
day before the Sabbath. In the Dura-Europos Gospel „paraskeve“ is also additionally associated with day.
Matthew 27:62 – Moreover on the next (indicated: day) which is after the paraskeve
Luke 23:54 – And day it was (of) paraskeve (genitive)
Dura-Europos – It was moreover the day paraskeve (nominative?)
2.5) summary
Scholarly consensus is that „paraskeve“ was a fixed term in Jewish context for the
day before the Sabbath.
Ben C. Smith wrote:Well, this is what I have so far.... The relevant portion of the BAGD entry goes as follows (underlining mine):
• παρασκευή, ῆς, ἡ (s. prec. entry; trag., Hdt.+; Ath. 15, 2) prim. sense ‘preparation’ (Hdt. 9, 82 and Polyaenus 7, 21, 6 τοῦ δείπνου; 7, 27, 3 πολέμου), in our lit. only of a definite day, as the day of preparation for a festival; acc. to Israel’s usage (in this sense only in late pap, s. New Docs 3, 80; Jos., Ant. 16, 163; Synes., Ep. 4 p. 161d) it was Friday, on which day everything had to be prepared for the Sabbath, when no work was permitted....
In this case „paraskeve“ and „prosabbaton“ in Mark 15:42 may be synonyms in a context of a different regional word usage or „paraskeve“ was in Mark's time the more modern term. One possibility could be, that the Greeks favoured “paraskeve” and the Romans “prosabbaton”. But here may be of interest that the Old Latin versions and the Vulgate translated
„paraskeve“ with that Greek loan word as „parasceue” and
„prosabbaton” with “ante sabbatum“
I don't assume it, but I surmise that „paraskeve“ was never a fixed term of the Greek-speaking Jews, but a Christian term. In this case „paraskeve“ and „prosabbaton“ in Mark 15:42 may be synonyms in a context of a different word usage of Christians and Greek-speaking Jews with different connotations. In this scenario the literal meaning of “paraskeve” (preparation, getting ready) and of “prosabbaton” (before the rest-day, before resting) could be relevant.
But we don't know in what kind of different word usage Mark used the words. Therefore - hoping that Ben would agree to it - one can only say that “paraskeve” and “prosabbaton” in Mark 15:42 are
probably synonyms in a context of a different word usage.