Inalienable Possession in the Gospel of Mark: A Linguistic and Redaction-Critical Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/sacrascripta.2024.11Keywords:
Inalienable Possession, Linguistics, Gospel of Mark, Philology, Redaction Criticism, Synoptic GospelsAbstract
This article provides a linguistic and redaction-critical study of “inalienable possession” in the Gospel of Mark. “Inalienable possession” is a common linguistic phenomenon that occurs in many Indo-European languages but has rarely been examined in NT Greek. My contribution will inquire how the Greek language of Mark codes inalienable possession and which objects and relations of possession are conceptualised as inalienable. It will further examine how Matthew and Luke redacted Mark’s coding of inalienable possession.
References
ADAMS, Sean A., “Atticism, Classicism, and Luke-Acts: Discussions with Albert Wifstrand and Loveday Alexander.” In The Language of the New Testament: Context, History, and Development, edited by Stanley E. PORTER and Andrew W. PITTS. Linguistic Biblical Studies 6, 91–111. Brill: Leiden, 2013.
ALKIER, Stefan and Thomas PAULSEN, ed., Die Evangelien nach Markus und Matthäus: Neu übersetzt und mit Überlegungen zur Sprache des Neuen Testaments, zur Gattung der Evangelien und zur intertextuellen Schreibweise sowie mit einem Glossar. Frankfurter Neues Testament 2. Leiden/Paderborn: Brill/Ferdinand Schöningh, 2021.
BAKKER, Stéphanie J., The Noun Phrase in Ancient Greek: A Functional Analysis of the Order and Articulation of NP Constituents in Herodotus. Amsterdam Studies in Classical Philology 15. Leiden: Brill, 2009.
BALDI, Philip and Andrea NUTI, “Possession.” In New Perspectives on Historical Latin Syntax. Vol. 3, edited by Philip BALDI and Pierluigi CUZZOLIN, 239–387. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2010.
BENVENUTO, Maria C., “Possession.” In Encyclopedia of Ancient Greek Language and Linguistics, edited by Georgios K. GIANNAKIS, published online 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2214-448X_eagll_COM_00000285
BOLKESTEIN, Machtelt, “Possessors and Experiences in Classical Latin.” In Dimensions of Possession, edited by Irène BARON, Michael HERSLUND and Finn SØRENSEN. Typological Studies in Language 47, 269–283. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2001.
BORTOLUSSI, Bernard, “Esse + datif et ess + génitif en latin.” In Être et avoir: Syntaxe, sémantique, typologie, edited by Alain ROUVERET, 67–94. Saint Denis: Presses Universitaires de Vincennes, 1998.
DANOVE, Paul L., Linguistics and Exegesis in the Gospel of Mark: Applications of a Case Frame Analysis. JSNTSup 218. Sheffield: Academic Press, 2001.
DECKER, Rodney J., Mark 1–8: A Handbook on the Greek Text. Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament. Waco TX: Baylor, 2014.
—, Mark 9–16: A Handbook on the Greek Text. Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament. Waco TX: Baylor, 2014.
DELGADO GÓMEZ, Alfredo, “The Vocabulary of Mark’s Gospel, the LXX, and the Greek of Its Time.” Bib 102/3 (2021) 356–385.
DOUDNA, John C., The Greek of the Gospel of Mark. JBLMS 12. Philadelphia PA: SBL, 1961.
ELLIOTT, J. Keith, ed., The Language and Style of the Gospel of Mark. NovTSup 71. Leiden: Brill, 1993.
EMDE BOAS, Evert van, Albert RIJKSBARON, Luuk HUITINK, and Mathieu DE BAKKER, The Cambridge Grammar of Classical Greek. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.
GIANOLLO, Chiara, “External Possession in New Testament Greek.” In Papers on grammar XI, edited by Gualtiero CALBOLI and Pierluigi CUZZOLIN, 101–129. Rome: Herder, 2010.
—, “Competing Constructions for Inalienable Possession in the Vulgate Gospels: Translator’s Choices and Grammatical Constraints.” Journal of Latin Linguistics 13/1 (2014) 93–114.
HEINE, Bernd, Possession: Cognitive Sources, Forces, and Grammaticalization. Cambridge Studies in Linguistics 83. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997.
HOGETERP, Albert and Adelbert DENAUX, Semitisms in Luke’s Greek: A Descriptive Analysis of Lexical and Syntactical Domains of Semitic Language Influence in Luke's Gospel. WUNT 401. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2018.
KÖSTENBERGER, Andreas J., Benjamin L. MERKLE, and Robert L. PLUMMER, Going Deeper with New Testament Greek: An Intermediate Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament. Nashville TN: B&H Academic, 2016.
KŘIVAN, Jan and Michal LÁZNIČKA, “Inalienable Possession.” In Encyclopedia of Slavic Languages and Linguistics Online, edited by Marc L. GREENBERG and Lenore A. GRENOBLE, published online 2020, https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopedia-of-slavic-languages-and-linguistics-online/*-COM_033708
LOUW, Theo van der, “Constructions Denoting ‘To Have’ (Predicate Possession) in the Greek Genesis.” JSCS 49 (2016) 5–21.
MACDONALD, William G., Greek Enchiridion: A Concise Handbook of Grammar for Translation and Exegesis. Peabody MA: Hendrickson, 1986.
MALONEY, Elliott C., “A Study of Semitic Interference in Marcan Syntax.” PhD diss. Fordham University NY, 1979.
MIDDLETON, Thomas F., The Doctrine of the Greek Article Applied to the Criticism and Illustration of the New Testament, new 3rd ed. revised by H.J. ROSE. London: Rivington, 1841.
MITHUN, Marianne, “The Difference a Category Makes in the Expression of Possession and Inalienability.” In Dimensions of Possession, edited by Irène BARON, Michael HERSLUND and Finn SØRENSEN. Typological Studies in Language 47, 285–310. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2001.
MOULTON, James H., A Grammar of New Testament Greek. Vol. 4. Edinburgh: Clark, 1976.
NICHOLS, Johanna, “On Alienable and Inalienable Possession.” In In Honor of Mary Haas: From the Haas Festival Conference on Native American Linguistics, edited by William SHIPLEY, 557–609. Berlin: de Gruyter Mouton, 1988.
—, Linguistic Diversity in Space and Time. Chicago IL: University of Chicago, 1992.
READ-HEIMERDINGER, Jenny, Luke in His Own Words: A Study of the Language of Luke-Acts in Greek. LNTS 672. London: T&T Clark, 2022.
REISER, Marius, Syntax und Stil des Markusevangeliums im Licht der hellenistischen Volksliteratur. WUNT II/11. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1984.
ROBERTSON, Archibald T., A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research, 3rd ed. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1919.
SEILER, Hansjakob, Possession as an Operational Dimension of Language. Language Universals Series 2. Tübingen: Gunter Narr, 1983.
SIEBENTHAL, Heinrich von, Ancient Greek Grammar for the Study of the New Testament. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2019.
SMYTH, Herbert W., Greek Grammar, revised by Gordon M. MESSING. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 1984.
SOISALON-SOININEN, Ilmari, Studien zur Septuaginta-Syntax: Zu seinem 70. Geburtstag am 4. Juni 1987 herausgegeben von Anneli Aejmelaeus und Raija Sollamo, 86–103. Helsinki: Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, 1987.
SWANSON, Reuben J., ed., New Testament Greek Manuscripts: Variant Readings Arranged in Horizontal Lines against Codex Vaticanus. Vol. 1. Matthew. Sheffield: Academic Press, 1995.
—, ed., New Testament Greek Manuscripts: Variant Readings Arranged in Horizontal Lines against Codex Vaticanus. Vol. 2. Mark. Sheffield: Academic Press, 1995.
—, ed., New Testament Greek Manuscripts: Variant Readings Arranged in Horizontal Lines against Codex Vaticanus. Vol. 3. Luke. Sheffield: Academic Press, 1995.
SPANOGHE, Anne-Marie, “(In)alienability and (in)determination in Portuguese.” In Dimensions of Possession, edited by Irène BARON, Michael HERSLUND and Finn SØRENSEN. Typological Studies in Language 47, 227–242. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 2001.
The Center for New Testament Textual Studies NT Critical Apparatus by the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2010.
TOPS, Thomas, “A Philological Study of the Reflexive-Possessive Use of Personal Pronouns in the Fourth Gospel.” NovT 64/1 (2022) 18–35.
—, “Jesus’ Authority over All His Flesh: A Linguistic and Literary-Historical Study of ἐξουσίαν πάσης σαρκός in John 17,2a.” RB 131 (2024) 236–259.
TURNER, Nigel, “The Style of Mark.” In The Language and Style of the Gospel of Mark, ed. J. Keith ELLIOTT. NovTSup 71, 215–237. Leiden: Brill, 1993.
VOELZ, James W., “The Language of the New Testament,” ANRW 25.2:893–977. Part 2, Principat, 25.2. Edited by H. TEMPORINI and W. HAASE. New York: de Gruyter, 1984.
—, “The Characteristics of the Greek of St. Mark’s Gospel.” In Texts and Traditions: Essays in Honour of J. Keith Elliott, edited by Peter DOBLE and Jeffrey KLOHA. New Testament Tools, NTTSD 47, 137–153. Leiden: Brill, 2014.
—, “Standard/Classical Greek Construction in the Gospel According to Mark and Their Importance for Interpretation.” NovT 62 (2020) 343–360.
WALLACE, Daniel B., Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament. Grand Rapids MI: Zondervan, 1996.
WILCOX, Max, “Semitisms in the New Testament.” ANRW 25.2:978–1029. Part 2, Principat, 25.2. Edited by H. TEMPORINI and W. HAASE. New York: de Gruyter, 1984.
ZERWICK, Maximilian, Untersuchungen zum Markus-Stil: Ein Beitrag zur stilistischen Durcharbeitung des Neuen Testaments. Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici 38. Rome: Pontificio Instituto Biblico, 1937.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Sacra Scripta
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
