The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 44 EDITORIAL BOARD Mark S. Smith, Chairperson Lawrence E. Boadt, C.S.P. Richard J. Clifford, S.J. John J. Collins Frederick W. Danker Robert A. Di Vito Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. Ralph W. Klein Léo Laberge, O.M.I. Bruce J. Malina Pheme Perkins Eugene C. Ulrich Ronald D. Witherup, S.S. Studies in the Greek Bible Essays in Honor of Francis T. Gignac, S.J. EDITED BY Jeremy Corley and Vincent Skemp The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 44 © 2008 The Catholic Biblical Association of America, Washington, DC 20064 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the Catholic Biblical Association of America. Produced in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Studies in the Greek Bible : essays in honor of Francis T. Gignac, S.J. / edited by Jeremy Corley and Vincent Skemp. p. cm. — (The Catholic biblical quarterly monograph series ; 44) Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 0-915170-43-4 (alk. paper) 1. Bible. Greek—Versions—Septuagint. 2. Bible—Criticism, interpretation, etc. I. Gignac, Francis T. II. Corley, Jeremy. III. Skemp, Vincent T. M. BS38.S78 2008 220.6—dc22 2008026572 Contents FOREWORD Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M. ix INTRODUCTION Jeremy Corley and Vincent Skemp, editors xiii PART ONE GENESIS CREATION TRADITIONS 1 CREATION UNDER CONTROL: POWER LANGUAGE IN GENESIS :–: Jennifer M. Dines 3 GUARDING HEAD AND HEEL: OBSERVATIONS ON SEPTUAGINT GENESIS : C. T. Robert Hayward 17 “WHAT IS epifere?” GENESIS :B IN THE SAHIDIC VERSION OF THE LXX AND THE APOCRYPHON OF JOHN Janet Timbie 35 v vi · Contents PART TWO LATER SEPTUAGINTAL BOOKS 47 A TEXTUAL AND LITERARY ANALYSIS OF THE SONG OF THE THREE JEWS IN GREEK DANIEL :- Alexander A. Di Lella 49 SEPTUAGINTALISMS, SEMITIC INTERFERENCE, AND THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THE BOOK OF JUDITH Jeremy Corley 65 MARTYRDOM AS CULTIC DEATH IN THE BOOKS OF MACCABEES: ANTECEDENTS AND LATER DEVELOPMENTS Mark F. Whitters 97 PART THREE NEW TESTAMENT TEXTS 121 VERBAL ASPECT AND DISCOURSE FUNCTION IN MARK :-: THREE SIGNIFICANT INSTANCES Stanley E. Porter 123 THE “IMPERSONAL” PLURAL ACTIVE OF THE VERB IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS AND ACTS: SEMITIC INTERFERENCE? Elliott Maloney 138 LUKE :- AND ACTS :-: A LUKAN DIPTYCH ON ΔΙΑΚΟΝΙΑ Bart J. Koet 163 PARTICIPIAL ASPECT AND THE LAMB’S PARADIGMATIC WITNESS IN REVELATION : Vincent Skemp 186 Contents · vii PART FOUR LINGUISTIC STUDIES 215 THE LANGUAGE OF CREATION IN BEN SIRA: qlx = ΚΤΙΖΩ M. O’Connor† 217 THE SEPTUAGINT AS INTERPRETATIVE TRANSLATION AND THE COMPLEX BACKGROUND TO ΚΑΤΑΝΥΣΣΟΜΑΙ IN ACTS : Shawn W. Flynn 229 PHONOLOGICAL PHENOMENA IN GREEK PAPYRI AND INSCRIPTIONS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE SEPTUAGINT James K. Aitken 256 FRANCIS T. GIGNAC: BIBLIOGRAPHY 279 CONTRIBUTORS 289 INDEXES Ancient Sources, Authors, and Subjects 291 Foreword It is both a joy and an honor for me to write the Foreword as well as an article for this Festschrift honoring my esteemed colleague and long- time friend (for over forty years): The Reverend Francis T. Gignac, S.J., Professor of Biblical Studies at The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. Father Gignac, known by all as Frank, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 24, 1933. It is my hope that these few words may convey some idea of my profound appreciation for the major contributions to Biblical Studies and to the Church at large that Father Gignac has made and continues to make. He entered the Society of Jesus on August 8, 1950, and was ordained a priest on June 14, 1967. He received his B.A. in Latin from Loyola University, Chicago, 1955; his Ph.L. in Philosophy from West Baden College, Indiana, 1957; his M.A. in Classics from Loyola University, Chicago, 1957 (his thesis: “The Decipherment of Mycenaean Greek in the Linear B Script and Its Consequences in the Field of Homeric Scholarship”); his D.Phil. in Greek Philology from Oxford University, England, 1964 (his dissertation: “The Language of the Post-Christian Greek Papyri: Phonology and Accidence”); his S.T.L. from the Jesuit School of Theology, Chicago, 1968; and his M.A. in Theology from Loyola University, Chicago, 1968. He has held teaching positions at Loyola University, Chicago, the University of Detroit, Fordham Uni- versity, Union Theological Seminary, New York, and fi nally at The Catholic University of America where he joined the faculty in 1974 and has remained ever since. A well-liked and born teacher, Father Gignac has taught undergrad- uate courses in Greek, the Gospel of John, the Letters of Paul, and Introduction to the Old Testament and the New Testament. His con- summate skills, however, are more prominent in his graduate courses ix x · Foreword in the Language of the Nonliterary Greek Papyri, Semitic Interference in Biblical Greek, the History of the Greek Language, Problems in Greek Old Testament Versions, and Intermediate and Advanced Bibli- cal Greek. Father Gignac has also been an accomplished administrator, serv- ing as Vice Chair of the Department of Theology at Fordham Univer- sity, 1968-69. He also served in various capacities at Harlem College Extension of Fordham University, Marymount Manhattan College, and the College of Mount Saint Vincent, 1969-74. He was a member of the Coordinating Committee, which was responsible for establishing the Department of Biblical Studies at The Catholic University of America, 1974-76, and has served with distinction as chair of the Department of Biblical Studies in the School of Religious Studies, and as a member of the Executive Council, 1976-2002. From 1978 to 1981, he served as a member of the Academic Senate. Ever since a major reorganization in 2002, Father Gignac has served as the director of the Biblical Studies program in what is now called the School of Theology and Religious Studies. Father Gignac is well known for his contributions in several Bible translations. He was a member of the Review Committee, United Bible Societies’ Today’s English Version of the Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament, 1977-79. He chaired the Board of Editors for the revision of the New American Bible New Testament, 1979-87, a widely acclaimed translation. Among his other responsibilities he was chair of the Board of Editors for the revision of the Lectionary, National Confer- ence of Catholic Bishops, 1987-89; a member of the Board of Control, the New American Bible, 1988-present; and a member of the Board of Editors for the Revision of the New American Bible Old Testament (Deuterocanonicals), 1994-present. Father Gignac holds memberships in the Philological Society in Great Britain, The American Society of Papyrologists, Association Interna- tionale de Papyrologues, and The Catholic Biblical Association of Amer- ica. He has delivered major addresses, mostly on papyrology, in several other learned societies as well, and has received numerous awards from foundations to support his research and travel. Among his listings in biographical reference works, to name but a few, are: Dictionary of International Biography, World Dictionary of Linguists, Directory of American Scholars, Who’s Who in Education, Who’s Who in Religion, Foreword · xi American Catholic Who’s Who, International Who’s Who in Com- munity Service, Community Leaders of America, and Notable Ameri- cans. Something of a perennial and enthusiastic athlete, Father Gignac still jogs daily, and in past years he ran in a large number of marathons. His “diplomas” for having completed these marathons hang in various offi ces in Caldwell Hall. Father Gignac is no stranger to pastoral life and ministry, for he continues to serve as weekend associate at St. Nicholas Parish, Laurel, Maryland, where he celebrates the Liturgy every weekend. In addition, he has presented at his parish many lectures on the Bible. In a number of other parishes in the Washington area he has also given conferences to adult education classes. Because of his outgoing and affable person- ality, he has been much in demand to celebrate weddings, funerals, and other liturgical services. Notwithstanding all these activities, Father Gignac remained a faithful and attentive son, visiting his aged mother at least once a day for many years prior to her death in 2005, at the age of 106. His Bibliography at the end of this volume attests only to some of Francis T. Gignac’s academic accomplishments. A fi rst-rate scholar and outstanding teacher for many decades, he has likewise been a men- tor and friend of hundreds of undergraduate students, not to mention the many dozens of graduate and doctoral students he has shepherded through to the Ph.D. Always accessible and friendly to students as well as colleagues and knowledgeable as regards sometimes involved proce- dures, Father Gignac has rendered invaluable service to Biblical Studies at The Catholic University of America as well as to the Church in the United States. May the Lord grant him many more years of productive service in his career as educator, administrator, and pastoral associate. ALEXANDER A. DI LELLA, O.F.M. Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies The Catholic University of America Introduction This Festschrift honors a great scholar, educator, and Jesuit. For several decades Francis T. Gignac has been an inspiring teacher of stu- dents at all levels of higher education, from undergraduates to doctoral researchers. At the Catholic University of America, where he chaired the Biblical Studies Department for many years, he is often the fi rst faculty member that students get to know well through his rigorous Greek language courses in New Testament and Septuagint. All who have learned from him have been inspired by him to deeper study. As supervisor or reader for numerous dissertations, he is known for his thoroughness, accessibility, rapidity in returning work (always a major concern for doctoral students), astute comments,—particularly in mat- ters of Greek language and grammar—and fairness.