You are on page 1of 13

the meaning of Smeron in luke 23:43

An exegetical study
Background
Luke 23:43 ,
.
Luke 23:43 Truly I tell you, today you will be with me
in Paradise.
Textual evidence
NT manuscripts were written in the so-called uncial
script, and they do not have separation between
words and sentences. There are just a few
occurrences of punctuation used to indicate how the
text was read.
The comma was introduced as late as the ninth
centuryshort pauses were sometimes indicated by a
point on the line (.), and full stops by a superscripted
point ().
Currently, we do not have the autographs, but
manuscript copies.
Textual evidence
It is probably that Luke
23:43 had no
punctuation at all, as
P75 testifies it.
Textual evidence
Punctuation marks, therefore, are not an integral part
of the canonical text. In fact, they reveal only how the
text was read and understood by those who copied it.
So, when Luke 23:43 was punctuated, the comma
was placed before smeron not for grammatical
reasons, but for the theological conviction prevailing at
the time that the final reward of the faithful who die
comes immediately after death.
Textual evidence
Codex Vaticanus
Linguistic Analysis
In Greek, there is no specific rule concerning the
position of the adverb, whether before or after the
verb. Thus, from the grammatical standpoint it is
impossible to determine if smeron in Luke 23:43
modifies the preceding verb (to tell) or the following
one (to be).
However, from an exhaustive analysis of the syntactic
behavior of the smeron within other amphibologies
similar to the one of Luke 23:43, it is possible to find a
linguistic argument that supports one of the readings.
Use of smeron in Luke-
Acts
Luke has a clear tendency to use this adverb with the
preceding verb. This is the case in 14 of the 20
occurrences of smeron in Luke and Acts (Luke 2:11;
5:26; 12:28; 13:32, 33; 22:34, 61; Acts 19:40; 20:26;
22:34; 24:21; 26:2, 29; 27:33).
Of the five uses of the adverb with the following verb, one
is a quotation from Psalm 2:7 (Acts 13:33), and, in three
cases, smeron is preceded by a conjunction (Luke 4:21;
19:5, 9), which makes such a construction inevitable.
That is, there is only one example in Lukes writings in
which smeron was freely placed before the verb (Acts
4:9).
Use of smeron in Luke-
Acts
Acts 26:2-3
, ,


,
.
"In regard to all the things of which I am accused by
the Jews, I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa,
that I am about to make my defense before you today;
especially because you are an expert in all customs
and questions among the Jews; therefore I beg you to
listen to me patiently.
Use of smeron in Luke-
Acts
Acts 26:29


.
And Paul said, "I would to God, that whether in a
short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear
me this day, might become such as I am, except for
these chains."
Use of smeron in Luke-
Acts
Luke 4:21
.
And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture
has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Use of smeron in Luke-
Acts
Acts 4:9
,
If we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick
man, as to how this man has been made well,
Use of smeron in Luke-
Acts
Therefore, reading the adverb in Luke 23:43 in
connection to the preceding verb is not only fully
acceptable in terms of grammar but is also in
agreement with Lukes literary style.

You might also like