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The Justification of Wisdom (Matt 11.19b/Luke 7.35)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 November 2003

SIMON GATHERCOLE
SIMON GATHERCOLE
Affiliation:
Divinity and Religious Studies, King's College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UB, Scotland
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Abstract

This article challenges the conventional translation and interpretation of the perplexing aphorism in Matt 11.19/Luke 7.35. Linguistic evidence in particular indicates that the phrase should not be interpreted as defiant (‘but Wisdom is justified by her deeds/children’). The initial και should be read as a simple connective rather than an adversative. The εδικαιωθη … απο refers to the separation or dissociation of Wisdom from the ministries of John and Jesus according to this generation. Jesus' statement is a bitter complaint, then, of the lack of response by his contemporaries to the message of the kingdom. Matthew's version should be rendered: ‘And Wisdom has been absolved of her deeds.’ Luke 7.35, similarly, can be translated: ‘And Wisdom has been dissociated from her children.’

και εδικαιωθη η σοϕια απο των εργων αυτης. (Matt 11.19b)

και εδικαιωθη η σοϕια απο παντων των τεκνων αυτης. (Luke 7.35)

Type
Research Article
Information
New Testament Studies , Volume 49 , Issue 4 , October 2003 , pp. 476 - 488
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press

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