δευτεροπρωτω of Luke 6:1 - When was that Sabbath? What exactly does that Greek word mean?

Statement of belief: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)

Created 5925_[(*??*)] 01 08 2029 [2013-04-19]

Updated 5925_[(*??*)] 01 12 2029 [2013-04-21]

Updated 5925_[(*??*)] 04 05 2029 [2013-07-15] – Added Section V, while modifying the conclusion accordingly.

Towards a True Placement in Time of Luke 6:1-5, 6-11, and

Towards a True Understanding of Luke’s Word

“δευτεροπρωτω”

Abstract:

The true meaning of the Greek word “δευτεροπρωτω” of Luke 6:1 has been debated for centuries.[1] So far as I know, this word has not been found anywhere else in the ancient Greek literature. Adding to that fact the many prevalent false conceptions re the ancient Hebrew and Scriptural concepts of time, no one seems to have come up with conclusive evidence of the true meaning of “δευτεροπρωτω,” as intended by Luke.

Considering the questions re the meaning of this word even among the Church Fathers of the 4^th century, which time is more or less contemporary with the oldest known NT MSS, from the “end of the 2^nd century CE,” I see no valid reason for doubting that the word, “δευτεροπρωτω,” is part and parcel of Luke’s original record.

Most of the arguments presented by modern Bible students and “authorities in the field” suffer heavily from not recognizing the true meaning of the Hebrew words “קץ” and, in consequence thereof, the word “מכרות,” meaning “that which comes after beginnings” (not “after the end”) and “the following morning” (not “the morning after the end of a Hebrew day,”) respectively.

Realizing the almost universal mistranslations of said two Hebrew words, the true and proper meaning of Luke 6 and of Leviticus 23 alike will soon become much more clear while eliminating most of the verbiage within the documents dealing with the debate re “δευτεροπρωτω.” This realization should simplify the road towards a true understanding of these matters a great deal, while no doubt leading eventually to tremendous blessings of God as the results are being implemented step by step by any one and all.

Accordingly, I find it amply clear that the Waving of the Sheaf, aka. the 1^st day of 50 in the Reckoning of Omer, is one and the same day as the weekly Seventh Day Sabbath within the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Likewise, the 50^th day, the Day of Sabbaths, or the Day of Sevens, falls on a regular weekly Seventh Day Shabbat.

Based upon my many solid anchors in time, most especially upon contemporary astronomical records, I find it more or less certain that the event of Luke 6:1 took place in 16 CE.

Finally, although I do not yet find absolute proof for a conclusive determination, I believe the arguments brought forwards are much in favor of placing the event of Luke 6:1-11 on one and the same weekly Seventh Day Sabbath of the Waving of the Sheaf. That is, the Seventh Day of the week, Aviv 21, 16 CE [beginning at sunset Fri April 17, 16 CE.] (The less likely candidates are, in descending order of likelihood, 1. The weekly Seventh Day Sabbath of the 50^th day of the Counting of Omer, 2. The Seventh Day Sabbath of the 8^th day of the Counting of Omer, and 3. the weekly Seventh Day Sabbath within the Feast of Tabernacles.)

For further discoveries re the ancient terminology pertaining to the Counting of Omer, please cf. this link and this link!

Considerations:

The Greek word “δευτεροπρωτω” was present in the MSS of the 4^th century CE, long before the oldest TR MSS:

Accordingly, the common argument, that the oldest extant Greek MSS do not include “δευτεροπρωτω,” falls flat on its face.

“The phrase has confounded scholars from as early as the fourth century A.D., when Jerome, in a letter to Nepotianus, confesses that he consulted his master St. Gregory of Nazianzus, and was unable to determine what the word meant.” (J. D. Myers, What’s on Second? Who’s on First? Deuteroprōtō in Luke 6:1, p. 1.1 of 14.)

On the second-first sabbath. An obscure passage, on which St. Jerome says to Nepotianus,[2] that he consulted his master, St. Gregory of Nazianzus, but in vain. St. Chrysostom, Hom. xl. in Matt., takes it for a double feast, or a double rest: by which we may either understand a sabbath, and another feast concurring on the same day; or a sabbath and a feast immediately succeeding to each other. Theophylactus says the same; and that then the latter day, on which they were to rest, was called the second-first. Others say, that when the Jews kept their solemn paschal feast for seven days, the last day was called the second-first, because it was kept with equal solemnity as the first day had been. See Maldonatus. Later interpreters have found out other expositions, of which the most plausible seems to be, that by the second-first sabbath may be understood the feast of Pentecost (which also happened when corn was ripe in Palestine). To understand this we must take notice, that the Jews had three great and solemn feasts: 1. That of the Pasch, or the great paschal feast, with the seven days of unleavened bread; the 2d. was the great feast of Pentecost; and the 3d. was the feast, called of tabernacles. It is supposed then that the paschal feast was called the first-first sabbath, that Pentecost was called the second-first sabbath, and that of tabernacles the third-first, or great sabbath. (Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859 edition, Witham)

“Further support of this reading is found in the Latin Vulgate and comments by other Church Fathers of the 4th and 5th centuries, such as Epiphanus, John Chrysostom, and Ambrose.” (J. D. Myers, What’s on Second? Who’s on First? Deuteroprōtō in Luke 6:1, p. 1.4 of 14.)

I. An argument favoring “δευτεροπρωτω” being a reference to the Seventh Day Sabbath of the Waving of the Sheaf:

“Those who argue for this view point to the LXX translation of Leviticus 23:11, which renders the Hebrew m’mochorat ha’Shabbat, “the day after the Sabbath” as tē epaurion tēs prōtēs, “the day after the first”.” (J. D. Myers, What’s on Second? Who’s on First? Deuteroprōtō in Luke 6:1, p. 10.2 of 14.)

II. Arguments favoring “δευτεροπρωτω” being a reference to the 50^th day of the Counting of Omer:

“So in this context, what does the term deuteroprōtō mean? As stated, both the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Weeks included offerings of the first-fruits. In Hebrew, the seven first fruit offerings of Shavuot are referred to as bikkurim, which is translated in the Greek Septuagint as prōtogenēmatōn (lit., “first ones”).[3] It is during the Feast of Weeks that the second first-fruits offering is brought into the temple (cf. Exod 23:19; 34:22; Lev 2:14; 23:17, 20; Neh 10:35; Ezek 44:30). So this seems to be the most likely explanation of deuteroprōtō. Deuteroprōtō is an abbreviated form of deuteron prōtogenēmatōn. The first-fruit offering is the day after the first Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the second first-fruits offering is fifty days later on the Sabbath of the Feast of Weeks.” (J. D. Myers, What’s on Second? Who’s on First? Deuteroprōtō in Luke 6:1, p. 13.6 of 14.)

III. An argument favoring “δευτεροπρωτω” being a reference to the 2^nd Sabbath within the Counting of Omer:

Although it is a modern reverse translation into Hebrew, the following rendering does reflect the understanding of someone well versed in the Hebrew language. As such it may carry some weight as to what “δευτεροπρωτω” could potentially mean, that is, a reference to the Counting of Omer:

ויהי בשבת השנית לספירת העמר עבר בין הקמה ויקטפו תלמידיו מלילת ויפרכו אתן בידיהם ויאכלו׃

(Hebrew Bible (OT and NT)[4] Luke 6:1.)

H5601: ספּיר; sappı̂yr; sap-peer'; From H5608; a gem (perhaps as used for scratching other substances), probably the sapphire: - sapphire.

H5608: ספר; sâphar; saw-far'; A primitive root; properly to score with a mark as a tally or record, that is, (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively to recount, that is, celebrate: - commune, (ac-) count, declare, number, + penknife, reckon, scribe, shew forth, speak, talk, tell (out), writer.

H6016: עמר; ‛ômer; o'-mer; From H6014; properly a heap, that is, a sheaf; also an omer, as a dry measure: - omer, sheaf.

H5674: עבר; ‛âbar; aw-bar'; A primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literally or figuratively; transitively, intransitively, intensively or causatively); specifically to cover (in copulation): …

H7054: קמה; qâmâh; kaw-maw'; Feminine of active participle of H6965; something that rises, that is, a stalk of grain: - (standing) corn, grown up, stalk.

IV. Arguments favoring “δευτεροπρωτω” being a reference to the Courses of Priests and Levites:

If the reckoning of the Courses of Priests and Levites were, at that time, numbered in terms of a beginning with the Seventh Day Sabbath within the Feast of Tabernacles, i.e. as the first-first Sabbath, then it follows that the second-first Sabbath is one and the same as the Seventh Day Sabbath known as the Waving of the Sheaf. This would indeed agree well with the idea of the secret conception of a baby as associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, which feast has a strong tradition of being associated with marriages. Such numbering, known only as a secret among priests and Levites, would make some sense. However, such a numbering would be apt to cause undesirable confusion, while conflicting with the numbering of the months of the year beginning with the ripening of the aviv. Cf. this link!

On the other hand, placing the event recorded in Luke 6:1 at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, as suggested by a numbering more in harmony with the numbering of months, might seem possible. Yet, this does not seem likely, considering the nature of the event itself, which event seems to have strong connotations with the harvesting of grains in the spring, and also with the prohibition of eating grains prior to the Waving of the Sheaf Sabbath.

However, this argument, as applied to the Waving of the Sheaf Sabbath, agrees perfectly with Argument I. above!

V. “δευτεροπρωτω” may well be a multi-dimensional word unifying multiple ties to one certain day:

Upon recognizing that the Syriac Peshitta language, “שבתא אחרתא,” found in Luke 6:6 and Acts 13:42, 44, seems to point to any portion of a given Sabbath which follows after an earlier portion of the same 24 hour Sabbath, I find powerful reasons for placing Luke 6:1-5 on the very same Sabbath as Luke 6:6-11, that is, while recognizing also that the language of Mark 2:23-28 and 3:1-12 seems likewise to point to contiguous events on one and the same day, and likewise re Matthew 12:1-9 and 12:10-15. Cf. this link! Identifying this Seventh Day Sabbath with the Waving of the Sheaf Sabbath makes possible a number of concurring meanings of the word “δευτεροπρωτω,” all of which point to one and the same Seventh Day Sabbath (cf. this link!)

Conclusion:

Firstly, it seems to me that the weight of evidence is powerfully in favor of a spring placement of Luke 6:1-5. That is, over and above a placement associated with the Feast of Tabernacles.

Likewise, although not absolutely certain, it seems to me that the weight of evidence is in favor of associating the Luke 6:1-11 event with the Seventh Day Sabbath of the Waving of the Sheaf. That is, over and above a placement within the 50^th day of the Counting of Omer, or else within any other Sabbath being defined in Leviticus 23.

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[1] See e.g. this Google-hit, item #44 at the bottom of this link, and J.D. Myers’ article with its multiple footnotes.

[2] Ver. 1. In Sabbato secundo-primo en sabbato deuteroproto. See St. Chrysostom, Hom. xl. in Matt. in the Latin edition, in the Greek of Savil om lth p. 262, tom. ii. otan e argia e, kai tou sabbatou tou kuriou, kai eteras eortes diadechomenes. See St. Hieron.[St. Jerome,] ad Nepotianum. tom. iv, part 2, p. 262. Ed. Ben.

[4] This translation includes the OT and NT and was originally titled Modern Hebrew.