요한복음의 ‘여자’(γύναι)의 이해와 번역에 관한 소고

Abstract

This article revisits the use of γύναι in the Johannine Gospel (2:4; 19:26), and asks why Jesus addresses his mother as woman from the literary context perspective. Eugene Nida had long argued that γύναι was a common highly respectful address form for mother. But Gert Knepper argues, “Nida for long time did not realize the real problem with γύναι.” Recently Vitaly Voinov tried to rebut Knepper’s argument. He also argues for translating γύναι as mother in the light of pragmatics and corpus analysis.<BR> But the article shows that within exegetical research, the use of γύναι is recognized as a symbol by means of two criteria, conventional plausibility and textual plausibility, which Ruben Zimmermann suggested to identify symbols. Symbols are only defined by way of the conventions of a linguistic community, and can only be recognized through evidence from the text itself.<BR> Γύναι is a recurring image throughout the Gospel. It is named for the sake of inclusio at the first sign and the last. Γύναι has a traditional, compositional-technical, theological function within the literary work, which is characterized as a woman who gives birth to a child like the Old Testament themes of Lady Zion’s giving birth to her offspring. Γύναι is not an expression of proper filial respect. Within the literary context of the Gospel of John, γύνη represents those who bear the words of Jesus and witness the death of Jesus as his love caring for his own to the end (cf. 13:1). The Gospel of John, therefore, applies this tenor of expression to Jesus’ mother in relation with the beloved disciples, who constitute the new family of faith and are now called brothers (20:17). The writer argues as Knepper does, “under no circumstances should γύναι be translated with a term meaning mother.”