Mark 9:33 What was it that you disputed among yourselves

Spoken to: 

Apostles

Jesus and the apostles have just come to Capernaum. He asked this question before we know the apostles are arguing.

KJV: 

Mark 9:33 What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way?

NIV : 

Mark 9:33 What were you arguing about on the road?”

LISTENERS HEARD: 

What did you argue by yourselves on the road?

MY TAKE: 

We seldom know what we are arguing about.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

GREEK ORDER: 

Τί      ἐν τῇ ὁδῳ   διελογίζεσθε;
What on the road did you argue by yourselves?

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The initial question can be "what" or "why".

The word translated as "dispute" and "argue" is also translated as "discuss" in some modern Bibles. The first two ideas are closer to the sense of the verb which is from a root that means "two ideas" or "two messages." Its form is either the passive or middle voice. The middle voice means they were arguing "by or form themselves," which is probably where the "among themselves" in the KJV version go it start.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

3
  • IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "was it that" doesn't exist in the source.
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "among" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  • CW --Confusing Word -- The "through" does not capture the word's specific meaning.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

2
  • WV -- Wrong Voice -- This verb is a middle voice, which requires a "by/for yourselves" or a "yourselves" as an object. 
  • IW - Inserted Word -- The word "aboout" doesn't exist in the source.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

What  -- The word translated as "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". 

was it that -- -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "was it that" in the Greek source.

you -- This is from the second-person plural form of the verb.

disputed -- "Disputed " is a verb that means "to calculate exactly", "to add up account", "to debate," and "to argue." It is not a common word. Jesus only uses it seven time. The verb is from a root that means "two ideas" or "two messages."

among -- (OS) There is nothing in the Greek that can be translated as "among" in the source we use today but it does exist in the source that the KJV translators used.

yourselves -- This is from the form of the verb which requires "yourself" as the object or means doing something "by" or "for" yourselves. 

by -- (CW)The word translated as "by" means "in.," "within", "with," or "among." It isn't used commonly to mean "by" and when it does, it means "by means of" not "near."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. 

way? -- "Way" is from a word meaning "the way" or "the road" but which is used symbolically to mean "a way of doing things" or "a philosophy of life." In Acts, followers of Jesus are described as those "belonging to the way". 

EACH WORD of NIV : 

What  -- The word translated as "what" means primarily "anything" or "anyone," but Jesus often uses it to start a question so it means "who", "what", or even "why". 

were -- This helping verb indicates the simple past tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.

you -- This is from the second-person plural form of the verb.

arguing -- "Arguing " is a verb that means "to calculate exactly", "to add up account", "to debate," and "to argue." It is not a common word. Jesus only uses it seven time. The verb is from a root that means "two ideas" or "two messages."

missing "by/for yourselves"-- (WV) A phrase is necessary because the form of the previous verb is a middle voice, which means that the subject is to  act on "yourselves," "for yourselves" or "by yourselves."

about -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "about" in the Greek source

on -- The word translated as "by" means "in.," "within", "with," or "among." It isn't used commonly to mean "by."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. 

road? -- "Road" is from a word meaning "the way" or "the road" but which is used symbolically to mean "a way of doing things" or "a philosophy of life." In Acts, followers of Jesus are described as those "belonging to the way". 

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

Τί [252 verses](irreg sg neut nom) "What" is from tis, which can mean "someone", "any one", "everyone", "many a one", "whoever," and so on. In a question, it can mean "who," or "what."

ἐν  [413 verses](prep) "By" is en, which means "in", "on", "at", "by", "among", "within", "surrounded by", "in one's hands", "in one's power," and "with".

τῇ [821 verses] ( article sg fem dat) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"), which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."

ὁδῳ [27 verses]( noun sg fem dat) "Way" is hodos, which means literally "the way" or "the road" but it also means "travel" and "journey."  It is interesting that a term joining a path with philosophy exists in many languages from the west to the east.

διελογίζεσθε[7 verses](verb 2nd pl imperf ind mp) "Was it that you disputed" is from dialogizomai, which means "to calculate exactly", "to add up account", "to debate," and "to argue." Elsewhere it is translated as "reason."

Related Verses: 

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

Jesus asked this question of the apostles, but he also asked it of us and all ages. What are our philosophical debates really about? Since the theme of this chapter of Mark thus far is the nature of spirit and the boundaries between the physical world and the spiritual world, this question is right on point. Our philosophical debates are all about one thing: the purpose of our lives? From this question of purpose we get to goals and ultimately to values. The answer to this question tells us more about the spiritual and purpose of this world.

Whether the apostles realized it or not, in debating "who was the greatest," they were debating values and the best way to measure greatness. From their silence, we can assume that the apostles were debating who was the greatest follower of Jesus. However, given the topic of this chapter and that it begins with the transfiguration, they could have also been debating who was the greatest among Moses, Elijah, or Christ, that is, who is the greatest teacher or spiritual leader?

Front Page Date: 

Jun 10 2023