Luke 11:27-28

[adnauseum]

Today’s reading from Luke is sometimes used to deny the importance of Mary in the life of faith.

But on the contrary, today’s reading affirms that we are to follow Mary as a model of faith.

factum est autem cum haec diceret
extollens vocem qaedam mulier de turba dixit illi
beatus venter qui te portavit et ubera quae suxisti
at elle dixit quippini beati qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt

"A woman from the crowd shouted out: blessed is THE ONE womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!

And Jesus said - to be sure: blessed are THE ONES who [likewise] ACCEPT the word of God and GUARD IT."

Luke was written by the most educated of the evangelists, one who doubtless had classical training. He is clearly using a parallel structure to demonstrate the relation of particular to universal, Mary to the Church:

The woman says blessed is ONE who (1) received you in her womb, and (2) nursed and nourished you.

Jesus says blessed are the ONES who follow the same pattern to (1) receive me in their hearts, and (2) guard and protect the Word.

The translation of custodiunt as to “keep the word” is too timid. The intention is clearly to guard and protect, like a mother.

The translation of quippini as “on the contrary” or “rather” is just inappropriate, as it implies Jesus disagreed with the woman. The word quippini is to be translated in common usage as “to be sure, and in addition…” or “certainly that, but…”. Some bibles translate it as “yea” but while it is a little better, it is too timid.

Far from minimizing Mary, our LORD here enshrines her as our EXAMPLE of Faith, and the Church as guardian of the Faith after the model of Mary.

The Greek makes the point even more strongly, but I love our Latin Vulgate, so there you go.

 

[TOME525]

adnauseum, I think I’m about to come to the same conclusion as you have but I’m going to take a different road.

I think that Jesus, when saying those words didn’t have in mind giving His mother a “Hidden” compliment. Actually, in some of the passages in the synoptic Gospels Mary doesn’t always come off that well.

Rather, I believe that Mary’s presence in this passage wasn’t as important for Jesus as we might think. I see Jesus’ motivation was completely towards proclaiming the Kingdom of God especially in his own person and the need for any one who wish to follow Him, to except this reality and give oneself completely to it just as Jesus was.

For my it was until much later, in the Church’s reflection on this, the Church came to the understanding of just how Mary, through out her life, had really lived out Jesus’ Challenge to his followers.

And here, I hope that you realize that in the end we are in total agreement in Mary’s as the Prime Role model for us as followers of Christ Jesus.

 

[Mystophilus]

adnauseum:

The translation of quippini as “on the contrary” or “rather” is just inappropriate, as it implies Jesus disagreed with the woman. The word quippini is to be translated in common usage as “to be sure, and in addition…” or “certainly that, but…”. Some bibles translate it as “yea” but while it is a little better, it is too timid.

The Greek uses either a compound double affirmative (“menoun”, in the Alexandrian MS) or a compound triple affirmative (“menounge”, in the Textus Receptus). Jesus was very emphatic about the additional nature of the ‘hearing the word’ concept.

 

[adnauseum]

Mystophilus:

The Greek uses either a compound double affirmative (“menoun”, in the Alexandrian MS) or a compound triple affirmative (“menounge”, in the Textus Receptus). Jesus was very emphatic about the additional nature of the ‘hearing the word’ concept.

Thanks. Okay, so I’m not way off base on this?

As TOME525 instructively pointed out, I’m probably reading too much in to the exchange to think that Jesus was encouraging a Marian cult right then and there in the Gospel; adoration of Mary was something that developed over centuries after the pentecost. I over-reached, which is my habit.

I’ll tip my hand and tell you the reason reflected on this passage from Luke is that I’m one of those Catholics who sort of nods his head in agreement when critics warn us about putting Mary on equal footing with Jesus. I do think Catholics should be prudent in how they describe their reverence of Mary. Yet I’m also convinced that Jesus recognized the particular holiness of Mary, and that’s why I was struck the other day by the use of menoun, or menounge - as you pointed out - which is not the sort of expression that one would use to chastise or correct the previous speaker; rather, it’s a turn of phrase that admits what’s true about what the person had just said, before elaborating on it.