Quote:
Originally Posted by Esaias
In v 2, is "his disciples" the object of "baptized"? Or is it a subject in the second phrase (making it an ellipsis meaning " but His disciples {did baptize})?
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The word "but" in v 2 is "alla" and means otherwise or contrariwise. This indicates the verse is saying Jesus did not baptize, however (contrariwise, or nevertheless, or otherwise, or howbeit) his disciple (did baptize). The word could be translated "except", but that then creates a problem. The text doesn't have an object for Jesus baptizing " except" xyz.
In other words, we would expect it to say But Jesus did not baptize ANY/ANYONE/PEOPLE except his disciples".
And if that were what was either written, or implied, it becomes a tautology: Jesus did not baptize anyone except His disciples", yet anyone baptised would be counted as a disciple. There is no possibility of baptizing someone and them not being counted a disciple. Disciples aren't a subgroup of those baptized, they are coextensive with all those baptized. See verse 1 which makes that point more clear).