Latinisms in Mark’s Gospel

The Latin words in Mark have sometimes been used to argue for
a Roman provenance of the gospel.

The Latin words in Mark are census (κῆνσος, “poll tax,”

12:14), centurio(κεντυρίων, “centurion,” 15:39, 44,
45), denarius (δηνάριον, a Roman coin, 12:15), legio (λεγιών,
“legion,” 5:9, 15), modius (μόδιος, “peck measure,”
4:21), praetorium (πραιτώριον, “governor’s official residence,”
15:16), quadrans(κοδράντης, a Roman coin,
12:42), sextarius (ξέστης, quart measure, “pitcher,”
7:4), speculator (σπεκουλάτωρ, “executioner,” 6:27),
and flagellum (φραγελλόω, “to flog,” 15:15).

Cadbury 1958, 88–89, argues that when these specific words are
considered, using them to argue for Rome appears to be
unjustified since these “are precisely those [Latin words] which
would be adopted outside of Italy in any of the Greek-speaking
provinces of the Roman Empire.” His evidence for this claim is
that these words all occur in Aramaic or late Hebrew, citing
Krauss, Griechische und lateinische Lehnwörter [loanwords] in
Talmud, Midrash und Targum (1899).

To the contrary, however, Incigneri, 101 n.169, responding to a

similar argument by Achtemeier, points out that this is evidence
from a later period when Latin was more widespread. Incigneri,
101–02, also suggests other instances of Latin influence higher
than the word level (syntax, idiom, etc.), concluding that “the
most likely place for Latinisms to predominate is in the city of
Rome, where the Latin and Greek languages were closely
intermingled as nowhere else at that time…. It was in Rome
most of all that the ordinary person was forced to deal with both
languages in daily life.”

Smith, 58, gives a summary list of such Latinisms: iter

facere (ὁδὸν ποιεῖν, “to make one’s way,” 2:23); consilium
dederunt (συμβούλιον ἐδίδουν, “to give counsel,” 3:6); hoc est (ὅ
ἐστιν, “that is,” 3:17; 7:11, 34; 12:42; 15:16, 42); satis
facere (ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, “to satisfy,” 15:15); genua ponentes (15:19,
τιθέντες τὰ γόνατα, “bending the knees”). Except for ὅ ἐστιν, these
occur only in Mark and not elsewhere in the NT or LXX.

I would be leery of claiming ὅ ἐστιν as a Latinism since it occurs

frequently elsewhere in the NT without apparent Latin influence.
A caveat is also in order for ὁδὸν ποιεῖν: “here used in the sense
of the middle ὁδὸν ποιεῖσθαι, which is used in classical Greek in
the sense ‘to journey’ ” (Cranfield, 114; see also Guelick, 119 n. c,
citing as || Judg 17:8 LXX).

Although such arguments are not conclusive, it appears that

such Latin influence is best accounted for on the basis of a
Roman provenance for Mark’s gospel.

I just found some earlier notes that I had made from Gundry, 1044, along
this same line, so these may be added to the above. (He cites a few
others concerning which I am less confident.)

Latin loanwords: herba (χόρτος, in the sense “blade of grass,”

4:28); causa (αἰτία, but only as a v.l. in 5:33)

Latin idiom: in extremis esse (ἐσχάτως ἔχει, 5:23); verberibus eum

acceperunt(ῥαπίσμασιν αὐτὸν ἔλαβον, 14:65)

Bibliography

 Cadbury, Henry C. The Making of Luke-Acts. 2d ed., 1958.

Reprint. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1999.
 Incigneri, Brian J. The Gospel to the Romans: The Setting
and Rhetoric of Mark’s Gospel. Biblical Interpretation 65.
Leiden: Brill, 2003.

 Smith,Barry D. Introducing the New Testament: A

Workbook. Moncton, NB, Canada: Crandall Univ.,
2010 http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/NTIntro/PDFFiles.htm.
Accessed 5/28/2011.

http://ntresources.com/blog/?p=1205