A Semitic Fingerprint on Mark and Revelation

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the unique syntax found in the Greek texts of Mark and Revelation. Both books exhibit a distinct propensity to begin sentences with the conjunction καί, a linguistic phenomenon known as “parataxis.” A comparative analysis is conducted on a large swath of contemporary Greek narrative texts in an effort to locate where Mark and Revelation fall along the paratactic spectrum. The analysis draws on comparative linguistics and statistical analysis to argue that this paratactic style is a Semitic linguistic fingerprint, aligning more closely with the LXX and other early Jewish and Christian (EJC) texts but differs from pagan Greek narratives of the same era. The article concludes by summarizing how scholars have accounted for this Semitic fingerprint and what some implications might be.