Below is list several references, the weight of the evidence is menoun is a confirmation with a correction made.
Some Protestants think Luke 11:28 is the smoking gun against Marian devotion and doctrine. A woman praises Jesus' mother, to which Jesus responds (according to the KJV): "Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it"
Other Protestant translations are more negative:
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (ESV)
But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and follow it.” (NASB)
"Nay rather," He replied, "they are blessed who hear God's Message and carefully keep it." (Weymouth New Testament)
But he said, "Instead, how blessed are those who hear God's word and obey it!"(ISV)
But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” (New English Translation)
Some translations (lesser known) are more positive/affirming of the woman's praise but adding an explanation or correction for why she is blessed:
But he said, Yes, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (Webster's Bible Translation)
And He said, “Indeed, rather, blessed those hearing the word of God, and keeping [it]!” (Literal Standard Version)
Jesus replied, "That's true, but the people who are really blessed are the ones who hear and obey God's message!"(Contemporary English Version)
As we can see, this verse is dispute with mostly two sides being taken: negating the woman's statement and affirming but correcting/improving it.
Some interpret the "rather" as "who cares about her!" This matter is not as straight forward as most translations imply; in fact, it seems to say the exact opposite--that Jesus was making an affirmation of Mary's blessedness but adding that those who believe are blessed too! Mary had to have believed in order to be His mother!
If we are to assume the Greek word translated by "yes, rather" is correct, let's look at meaning of the word 'rather' according to Merriam Webster:
1: with better reason or more propriety : more properly this you should pity rather than despise—William Shakespeare
2
: more readily or willingly
: preferably I'd
rather not go
would rather read than watch television—often used interjectionally to express affirmation
3: more correctly speaking my father, or rather my stepfather
4
: to the contrary
: instead was no better but rather grew worse—Mark 5:26 (Revised Standard Version)
5
: in some degree
: somewhat it's rather warm—often used as a mild intensive spent
rather a lot of money
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rather. Accessed 26 Nov. 2023.
As we see, rather does not necessarily negate something, but can clarify, or to more correctly state something.
Now for the Greek term used.
The commonly accepted text reads:
αὐτὸς δὲ εἶπεν Μενοῦν μακάριοι οἱ ἀκούοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ φυλάσσοντες.--Luke 11:28 (Westcott and Hort/Alexandrian Text)
The word translated at times as "Rather" is Μενοῦν (menoun).
Alan Thompson's comments state:
"The particle Μενοῦν, however, need not imply a rejection of the remark (pace Marshall 482; cf. BDAG 630d; BDF §450[4]; R 1151; Bock 1095; Bovon 2.131-32; Fitzmyer 927-29; a "correction" rather than a simple rejection or affirmation, Nolland 649; "even more" HCSB; cf. 1:45, 48). It may merely emphasize Jesus' point that a positive response to him must be accompanied with genuine adherence to his word..."--Thompson, Alan J.. Luke. United States, B&H Publishing Group, 2017.
Baker Exegetical Commentary agrees:
"The only issue in the verse is how it relates to what was said in Luke 11:27. The connective μενοῦν (menoun) has three possible senses (Fitzmyer 1985:928):"on the contrary," thus rejecting the previous remark (Manson 1949: 88; Marshall 1978: 482); (2) an affirmation meaning "indeed" (as in Phil 3.8); or ( 3 ) a correction meaning " yes , but rather " (Luce 1933: 216; Arndt 1956: 302; Plummer 1896: 306; Danker 1988: 235; Schneider 1977a: 269). The first meaning is not likely, since Luke has already affirmed such a blessing (Luke 1:42, 48) and
elsewhere uses οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν (ouchi, legō hymin, no, I say to you) to
express rejection of an idea (12:51; 13:3, 5; Fitzmyer 1985:928). The sense is not complete affirmation either. Rather, the woman's remark is correct, but not exhaustive. The recent examples provided by Jesus' teaching about the Samaritan, Mary, and prayer are but three illustrations of what is expected of disciples (Schneider 1977a: 269). Blessing resides in obedient response, whether in care for others, in attention to Jesus, or in discourse with God."--Bock, Darrell L.. Luke: 2 Volumes (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Page 8-235. United States, Baker Publishing Group, 1996.
The last two citation mention Fitzmyer. He was recent Bible scholar and commentator, Joseph Fitzmyer, a Catholic priest respected by secular scholars, argues Luke 11:28 has Jesus affirming what the woman says but clarifying it:
rather. The compound Greek participle menoun (used only four times in the NT and, against classical usage, at the head of the sentence) can have three different senses: (a) adversative, "nay, rather," "on the contrary": so commonly in classical Greek (Sophocles, Ajaz 1363; Aristophanes, Eccl. 1102) and in the NT (Rom 9:20, 10:18; this would mean that Jesus was rejecting the woman's blessing of his mother (it seems to be the sense advocated by T.W. Manson, I.H. Marshall, M.P. Scott, et al.). (b) affirmative, "indeed" expressive of agreement with what was said. See Phil 3:8, (c) corrective. "yes, but rather," meaning that what was said is true as far as it goes (Plato, Rep. 489D). M.E. Thall (Greek Participles in the New Testament, 34-35) points out that for Luke the first two uses are to be eliminated since, when he wants to express contradiction, he uses ouchi, lego hymin (12:51; 13:3,5); and for affirmation he employs nai (7:26; 10:21; 11:51 12:5). Hence, the last corrective sense is to be preferred. Cf. C.F.D. Moule, Idiom Book, 163-164. --The Gospel according to Luke (X-XXIV): introduction, translation, and notes (Anchor Bible). pages 928-929. 1985. Joseph Fitzmyer
A Translator's Handbook on the Gospel of Luke reads:
menoun (+) 'rather'. IT does not question the truth of the preceding statement, but emphasizes the greater relevance of what follows....
Translation: Blessed rather are, or, 'yes, but happier are', 'be that as it may, very much blessed are' (Shona 1966), 'that may be true, but those are-called (i.e, really are) blessed are' (Balinese).--A Translator's Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, page 444. 1971
Idioms in the Greek New Testament simply translates it as "therefore":
"a. In NT Greek, some words which in classic Greek are postpositive occur first in clauses. Lk. 11.28: Μενοῦν μακάριοι οἱ ἀκούοντες τὸν λόγον (therefore, blessed are those who hear the word), where μενοῦν appears at the beginning of the clause.--Porter, Stanley E.. Idioms of the Greek New Testament. United Kingdom, Bloomsbury Academic, 1992. page 288
The text "Greek Particles in the New Testament" (written by non Catholic, likely an evangelical Protestant) gives a brief history of the word and its usage in the NT, insisting one instance is a contradiction, but that Luke 11:28 uses it as an affirmative correction:
In classical Greek the combination μεν οῦν is used both connectively, as a particle of transition, and adverbially, chiefly in answers in dialogue. It is never the first word in the sentence. In the New Testament, connective men οῦν remains in its classical form, but adverbial μεν οῦν in answers has undergone two changes: the two particles are now written as one word, μενοῦν, and it has moved to the beginning of the sentence. There are three examples:....(Lk. xi 27-28)....(Rom. ix 19-20)...(Rom. x 18)...Despite the alteration in position, in two out of three instances, at any rate, the meaning of μενοῦν remains that of the classical idiom. In the second example from Romans it plainly expresses contradiction, as in the follow quotation from Plato, given by Denniston to illustrate the use of οῦν to emphasize men.....(Pl. Chrm. 161 D). The meaning of the Lucan example is less easy to determine, as the precise significance of the saying is not very clear from the context, and all three classical functions of adverbial men οῦν could be attributed to the particle here without any great difficulty. It might be strictly adversative, as in Romans: "On the contrary, this parental relationship is not in itself of any importance whatsoever. The people who are blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it." Or it might be assentient in the full sense: "Yes, certainly my mother is blessed, for the people who are blessed are those..." (cf. i 38). Finally, it might be corrective: "What you have said is true as far as it goes. But the blessedness of Mary does not consist simply in the fact of her relationship towards myself but in the fact that she shares in the blessedness of those who hear the word of God and keep it, and it is in this that true blessedness lies." The first two possibilities can perhaps be eliminated, however, on the ground that when Luke wishes to express contradiction he uses elsewhere the phrase οὐχί, λέγω ὑμῖν (all' η), as in xii 51; xiii 3, 5; and when he expresses affirmation he tends to use the particle νaἱ, as in vii 26; x 21; xi 51; xii 5. This leaves us with μενοῦν as a corrective, "rather," as in Plato, e.g. εις σμιχρον γ', εφη, χρóνον ειρηχας; εις ουδεν μεν οῦν, εφην, ως γε προς τον απαντα (Pl. R. 498 D). --Thrall. Greek Particles in the New Testament: Linguistic and Exegetical Studies. Germany, Brill, 2019. page 34-35
"To this, Jesus, in line with his non-emotional, matter-of-fact teaching, replies: μɛvоῦν μакápioι oi ἀκούοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ φυλάσσοντες “ Rather / it is more correct to say: happy are those who hear the Word of God and observe / keep it "--Caragounis, Chrys C.. New Testament Investigations: A Diachronic Perspective. pages 34-3. 6. Menoun and Menounge in the New Testament. Germany, Mohr Siebeck, 2022.
Liddell Scott Lexicon states likes the 3 uses:
μὲν
II. 4. μὲν οὖν or μενοῦν, a strengthd. form of οὖν, so then, id=Soph.; in replies, it affirms strongly, πάνυ μὲν οὖν Plat., etc.; also it corrects a statement, nay rather, like Lat. imo, imo vero, μου πρὸς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποψῶ wipe your nose on my head, Answ. ἐμοῦ μὲν οὖν . . , nay on mine, Ar., etc.; μὲν οὖν δή Soph.:—so in NTest., μενοῦνγε, to begin a sentence, yea rather, Lat. quin imo. --An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, μὲν
A scholar in Greece says Jesus' statement is purely affirmative:
According to the dictionaries, this particle is comprised of three different words: the oppositional particle “ΜΕΝ” (men = rather), the conclusive particle “ΟΥΝ” (oon = therefore) and the certifying particle “ΓΕ” (ye = certainly). In composite form, these words do not maintain their initial significance. The fragment “ΜΕΝΟΥΝΓΕ” (men-oon-ye) is usually used at the beginning of a reply; at times, it can be used as a weighty verification and it can also be used as a certification that somehow corrects and supplements the significance of those words that precede it. The particle “ΓΕ” (ye = certainly) intensifies the meaning of the word to which it is annexed.
Thus, the specific tract of the New Testament, could be seen as equivalent to the modern Greek expressions of “indeed”, "verily", “yes, of course”, “most certainly!”. It is remarkable how, this same composite word “ΜΕΝΟΥΝΓΕ” (men-oon-yeh) is mentioned in three other tracts of the New Testament, with the same connotation...[he then proceeds to cite Romans 9:20, 10:18, Philippians 3:8]--Stergios N. Sakkos, Professor emeritus of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki
Now concerning the appearance of the word(s).
Some texts read menounge, others menoun.
But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.--Luke 11:28 KJV
Αὐτὸς δὲ εἶπεν, Μενοῦνγε μακάριοι οἱ ἀκούοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ φυλάσσοντες αὐτόν. --Luke 11:28 (Byzantine Majority/Textus Receptus)
αὐτὸς δὲ εἶπεν Μενοῦν μακάριοι οἱ ἀκούοντες τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ φυλάσσοντες.--Luke 11:28 (Westcott and Hort/Alexandrian Text)
In Paul:
Nay but [Μενοῦνγε], O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?--Romans 9:20 KJV
Μενοῦνγε, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; Μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, Τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως;--Romans 9:20 (Byzantine)
ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μενοῦνγε σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ; μὴ ἐρεῖ τὸ πλάσμα τῷ πλάσαντι, τί με ἐποίησας οὕτως; --Romans 9:20 (Alexandrian)
Here almost every English translation has "No, but" or "nay but." Though, "no, but" is used, the Greek professor in Greece insists it is simply "indeed." There are four variants for this verse (two are shown above), one (variant 4 mentioned below) omits men oun completely. In addition, Caragounis insists it's just emphasizing "o man" and should not be read as negating the prior verse, but read separately:
Variant 4 has good early Alexandrian support and it is, furthermore, the shortest reading, lacking the particle altogether. However, the force in Paul's words is such that it seems improbable that Paul would have failed to intensify his rhetorical question by omitting μενοῦν and especially the stronger μενοῦνγε....
In Rom. 9:20 Paul's imaginary interlocutor puts forward the objections (trying to show that God is unjust)..."Why is he still finding fault [with us humans]? For who has stood/can stand against his will"? In view of the criticism that is here directed toward God, Paul now contrasts the littleness and insignificance of man with God....the phrase μενοῦνγε has the function of confirming the littleness of man, by emphasizing that phrase ω ανθροπε. That is, "you who are a mere man and no more, how can you/who are you to question/controvert/gainsay what God has willed?" Thus, μενοῦνγε here must be understood in close connection with ω ανθροπε, that is, qualifying the vocative, by underlining his weak, emphemereal humanness.--Caragounis, Chrys C.. New Testament Investigations: A Diachronic Perspective. b. Μενοῦνγε. Page 36. Germany, Mohr Siebeck, 2022.
The other appearance in Romans of menounge is not disputed much as being confirming:
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily [menounge], their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.--Romans 10:18
alla legw mh ouk hkousan menounge eiV pasan thn ghn exhlqen o fqoggoV autwn kai eiV ta perata thV oikoumenhV ta rhmata autwn--Romans 10:18 All major Greek texts
It appears again in Philippians, where most English translations have it strictly as an affirmation with a few variants:
Yea doubtless [menounge],], and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,--Philippians 3:8
alla menounge kai hgoumai panta
zhmian einai dia to uperecon thV gnwsewV cristou ihsou tou kuriou mou di
on ta panta ezhmiwqhn kai hgoumai skubala einai ina criston kerdhsw--Philippians 3:8 Textus Receptus
alla men oun
kai hgoumai panta zhmian einai dia to uperecon thV gnwsewV cristou
ihsou tou kuriou mou di on ta panta ezhmiwqhn kai hgoumai skubala einai ina criston kerdhsw--Philippians 3:8 Byzantine Majority
alla menounge
kai hgoumai panta zhmian einai dia to uperecon thV gnwsewV cristou
ihsou tou kuriou mou di on ta panta ezhmiwqhn kai hgoumai skubala ina
criston kerdhsw--Philippians 3:8 Alexandrian/Westcott and Hort
The reason why later manuscript such as the "Byzantine Majority" and "Textus Receptus" have ge at the end is explained reasonable here:
...According to the 28th edition of the text of the New Testament (2015) μɛvоõν is found in the earlier manuscripts...The other reading is μενοῦνγε and it is supported by the great majority of later...manuscripts....The decision here is not straightforward....The combined form μɛvоõν occurs in post-New Testament literature down to the XII-XIIIth century only 15 times. During the same period the form μενοῦν γε occurs 25 times, while the form μενοῦνγε occurs no fewer than 69 times. It is obvious here that there is a tendency to go from μɛv οῦν to μενοῦν to μενοῦν γε and end up with μɛvоõνγε. In other words, the tendency was to strengthen the classical form μɛv οῦν by joining the two words into one word (μɛvоõν) - a tendency that was at work in post-classical times with many other words and expressions, because the older forms were felt to be inadequate to express the intensity desired. This was further intensified by the addition of the particle γε (giving the form μενοῦν γε), and the process was completed by joining γε to μενοῦν, producing μενοῦνγε. This process of development seems to suggest that Luke may have written μɛvоõν, and that the reading μɛvоõνγε is a correction by later copyists in line with general developments.--Caragounis, Chrys C.. New Testament Investigations: A Diachronic Perspective. pages 34-35. 6. μενοῦν and μενοῦνγε in the New Testament. Germany, Mohr Siebeck, 2022.
An explanation of menoun(ge) is also provided by the same author:
Like μενοῦν the tripartite particle μενοῦνγε is late, beginning to occur first in the New Testament...there are only three examples of it (Rm 9:20; 10:18 and Phil 3:8). Furthermore, there are 66 examples in Christian authors down to the Middle Ages, of which several times in quotation of Paul's words. The lexicographers, Photios (IX A.D.) Lexicon, Suda (X A.D.), Etymologicum Gudeanum (XI A.D.), Etymologicum Magnum (XII A.D.), Pseudo-Zonaras (XII A.D.) and Lexica Segueriana (Late Byz. times) all agree in giving to μενοῦνγε the meaning of to αληθες 'what is true', in other words, affirming the veracity of what is said. The oldest lexicon we possess, Hesychios (c. 500 A.D.) Lexicon...for the entry μενοῦν: τοιγαρουν, μεντοιγε και μενοῦνγε (exactly so, really/actually, rather/indeed").--Caragounis, Chrys C.. New Testament Investigations: A Diachronic Perspective. b. Menounge. Page 35. Germany, Mohr Siebeck, 2022.
If we are to take just Μενοῦν as a single compound word, it only appears in Luke 11:28. However, in the old manuscripts letters were crunched together even for words that were separate. Some manuscripts used nomina sacra, or abbreviations. The Codex Sinaiticus for instance simply reads: μενου with a line above the υ, meaning the reader would find the full word to be obvious!
μὲν οὖν as two separate words:
The separation of letters is somewhat artificial, the manuscripts smash together letters from different words. Here it either confirms, sometimes with an improvement or correction, or is used as a transitive.
Μεν οῦν occurs often also in answers in order to express strong confirmation. For example in Platon, Thaitetos 158 d, to Sokrates' question to Theaitetos whether the matter, Theaitetos answers: ....μɛv οῦν "I certainly do" or "altogether [sc. I understand]"...Here the phrase μὲν οῦν has acquired a new meaning, which is not the sum total of the meanings of each of the two component particles. As a consequence of its frequent use, μɛv οῦν came to be used also a transitional conjunction to what follows...In the New Testament this can be illustrated by Mk 16:19: Ὁ μὲν οὖν κύριος μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς ἀνελήμφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ("As for/Now the Lord, after he had spoken with them, was taken up to heaven")...
Μεν οῦν occurs also in answers, to give strong confirmation to the question and at the same time to correct and complement the question. Thus, in Aristophanes, Ekklesiazousai 1102:....Commiserating his plight, the wretched man asks: "Am I not ill-starred?" Then, he broads and answers his own question by intensifying (and thereby) correcting his earlier description of himself as 'ill-starred' (κακοδαιμων--a very frequent word that was losing its cutting edge), by using an infrequent and stronger word 'one with a heavily evil fate' (βαρυδαιμων). See also Euripides, Hippolytos 1012: ματαιοσ αρ' ην, ουδαμου μɛv οῦν φρενον "Therefore, I was a fool, what am I saying 'a fool'? Rather I was without any senses at all". His second evaluation of himself is much stronger than his first evaluation. So, here, too, there is not only confirmation but also correction and intensification. I have not found any example of μɛv οῦν with this meaning in the New Testament.--Caragounis, Chrys C.. New Testament Investigations: A Diachronic Perspective. 5. Compounds with men Acquiring a New Meaning. Pages 33-34. Germany, Mohr Siebeck, 2022.
We can look at other instances where in software (using Scrivener's Textus Receptus 1894) Μενοῦν is broken into two as Μεν οῦν. We find Μεν οῦν 37 times in 37 verses, the red being the translation used (note some verses omit translating it):
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.--Mark 16:19
o men oun kurioV meta to lalhsai autoiV anelhfqh eiV ton ouranon kai ekaqisen ek dexiwn tou qeou --Mark 16:19 Byzantine Majority text
And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.--Luke 3:18
Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἕτερα παρακαλῶν εὐηγγελίζετο τὸν λαόν--Luke 3:18 all major texts
They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.--John 19:24
εἶπαν οὖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους Μὴ σχίσωμεν αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ λάχωμεν περὶ αὐτοῦ τίνος ἔσται: ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ πληρωθῇ “ Διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον. Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται ταῦτα ἐποίησαν--John 19:24 Alexandrian text
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:--John 20:30
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?--Acts 1:6
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.--Acts 1:18
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.--Acts 2:41
And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. --Acts 5:41
Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.--Acts 8:4
And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. --Acts 8:25
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.--Acts 9:31
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.--Acts 11:19
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.--Acts 12:5
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.--Acts 13:4
Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands. --Acts 14:3
And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.--Acts 15:3
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:--Acts 15:30
And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.--Acts 16:5
Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.--Acts 17:12
Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.--Acts 17:17
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:--Acts 17:30
And when Paul was now about to open [his] mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O [ye] Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:--Acts 18:14
Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.--Acts 19:32
Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.--Acts 19:38
So he took him, and brought [him] to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto [him], and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.--Acts 23:18
So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him, See thou] tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.--Acts 23:22
Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought [him] by night to Antipatris.--Acts 23:31
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly [thither].--Acts 25:4
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;--Acts 26:4
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.--Acts 26:9
And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.--Acts 28:5
If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.--1 Corinthians 6:4
Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather [suffer yourselves to] be defrauded?--1 Corinthians 6:7
And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.--1 Corinthians 9:25
Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me.--Philippians 2:23
If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need [was there] that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?--Hebrews 7:11
Then verily the first [covenant] had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.--Hebrews 9:1
In the later version of the same ISA software, using the Alexandrian texts, it shows 40 verses.
If we simply only used Μεν then 193 appear in the Textus Receptus--almost mostly translated as "indeed" or something similar in the KJV. Just to list a few instances:
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and [with] fire:--Matthew 3:11
ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν: ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μου ἐστίν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι: αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί--Matthew 3:11
Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.--Luke 11:48
ἄρα μάρτυρές ἐστε καὶ συνευδοκεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν, ὅτι αὐτοὶ μὲν ἀπέκτειναν αὐτοὺς ὑμεῖς δὲ οἰκοδομεῖτε. --Luke 11:48
And Moses verily [was] faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;--Hebrews 3:5
καὶ “Μωυσῆς” μὲν “πιστὸς ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ” ὡς “θεράπων” εἰς μαρτύριον τῶν λαληθησομένων,--Hebrews 3:5
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you--1 Peter 1:20
προεγνωσμένου μὲν πρὸ. καταβολῆς κόσμου--1 Peter 1:20
Regardless, whether menounge or menoun is read, it does not matter, the word virtually always, if not always, reads as an affirmation, not a negation.
Church Fathers and Translations:
The 2nd century Old Syriac texts per Curetonianus and Sinaiticus read:
ܐܡܪ ܠܗܿ ܝܫܘܥ܂ ܛܘܒܝܗܘܢ ܠܐܝܠܝܢ ܕܫܡܥܝܢ ܡܠܬܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܘܢܛܪܝܢ ܠܗܿ--Luke 11:28 Old Syriac
He said, "Blessed (ܛܘܒܝܗܘܢ) are they who hear the word of God and keep it"--Luke 11:28 (Old Syriac Curetonianus)
Neither mentions "rather."
Tertullian, an early 3rd century north African apologist who wrote in Latin, who towards the end of his life joined a pentecostal cult records the account as:
Exclamat mulier de turba beatum uterum qui illum portasset, et ubera quae illum educassent. Et dominus, Immo beati qui sermonem dei audiunt et faciunt:--Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book IV, chapter 26
A (certain) mother of the company exclaims, 'Blessed is the womb
that bare You, and the paps which You have sucked;' but the Lord said,
'Yea, rather, [Immo] blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.'--Tertullian, Against Marcion, Book IV, chapter 26
Immo has a similar ambiguity as menoun:
immo , incorrectly written īmo perh. sup. form from in, with ending mo; cf.: summus, primus; hence, I. [select] on the contrary, no indeed, by no means, or yes indeed, by all means (more commonly contradicting or essentially qualifying what precedes; but never, like minime, as an independent negative, being regularly accompanied by a clause defining the meaning; v. Krebs, Antibarb. p. 551).
The 4th Century Greek commentator, St John Chrysostom says Jesus was not downplaying the Virgin Mary but pointing to her faith:
Knowing therefore these things, let us neither pride ourselves on children that are of good report, unless we have their virtue; nor upon noble fathers, unless we be like them in disposition. For it is possible, both that he who begot a man should not be his father, and that he who did not beget him should be. Therefore in another place also, when some woman had said, "Blessed is the womb that bare You, and the paps which You have sucked;" He said not, "The womb bare me not, neither did I suck the paps," but this, "Yea rather, blessed are they that do the will of my Father." Do you see how on every occasion He denies not the affinity by nature, but adds that by virtue? And His forerunner too, in saying, "O generation of vipers, think not to say, We have Abraham to our father," Matthew 3:7, 9 means not this, that they were not naturally of Abraham, but that it profits them nothing to be of Abraham, unless they had the affinity by character; which Christ also declared, when He said, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham;" John 8:39 not depriving them of their kindred according to the flesh, but teaching them to seek after that affinity which is greater than it, and more real.--St John Chrysostom, Homily 44 on Matthew
Think of this then, and when you hear a certain woman saying, "Blessed is the womb that bare You, and the paps which You have sucked," and Him answering, "rather blessed are they that do the will of my Father" [Luke 11:27], suppose that those other words also were said with the same intention. For the answer was not that of one rejecting his mother, but of One who would show that her having borne Him would have nothing availed her, had she not been very good and faithful. Now if, setting aside the excellence of her soul, it profited Mary nothing that the Christ was born of her, much less will it be able to avail us to have a father or a brother, or a child of virtuous and noble disposition, if we ourselves be far removed from his virtue. --St John Chrysostom, Homily 21 on the Gospel of John
The Peshitta text is another Syriac translation of the Bible, this time from the 5th Century:
ܐܳܡܰܪ ܠܳܗ ܗܽܘ܃ ܛܽܘܒܼܰܝܗܽܘܢ̈܂ ܠܰܐܝܠܶܝܢ ܕܰܫܡܰܥܘ ܡܶܠܬܼܶܗ ܕܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ܂ ܘܢܳܛܪܺܝܢ ܠܳܗ--Luke 11:28 Peshitta text
He said to her, Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.--Luke 11:28 Lamsa (translation of Peshitta)
The Peshitta largely follows the Old Syriac from above.
For the last citation see the Greek professor linked below for another translation.
St Augustine of Hippo, a late 4th century bishop and commentator states:
Therefore Mary is more blessed in receiving the faith of Christ, than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. For to a certain one who said, "Blessed is the womb, which bare You," He Himself made answer, "Yea, rather, [imo] blessed are they who hear the Word of God, and keep it." Lastly, to His brethren, that is, His kindred after the flesh, who believed not in Him, what profit was there in that being of kin? Thus also her nearness as a Mother would have been of no profit to Mary, had she not borne Christ in her heart after a more blessed manner than in her flesh.--St Augustine, Of Holy Virginity
Both St John Chrysostom and St Augustine acknowledge that her faith was necessary for her to be blessed. No one denies this.
The Vulgate translated by St Jerome in the late 4th century/early 5th from Greek to vulgar Latin reads:
At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud.--Luke 11:28
Quinimmo means "indeed, in fact", "furthermore." Which means St Jerome understands it as affirmative.
The modern Catholic Vulgate Bible called the "nova vulgate" that was translated in the late 20th century reads almost the same:
At ille dixit: “ Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt! ”.--Luke 11:28 (New Vulgate)
Protestant Commentaries:
The Expositor's Greek New Testament on the verse reads:
menoun might be confirmatory (utique) or corrective (imo vero), or a little of both ; the tone of voice would show which of the two the speaker meant to be the more prominent. Correction probably was uppermost in Christ’s thoughts. Under the appearance of approval the woman was taught that she was mistaken in thinking that merely to be the mother of an illustrious son constituted felicity (Schanz). Viger (Ed. Hermann), p. 541, quotes this text as illustrating the use of menoun in the sense of imo vero, rendering: ‘‘ Quin imo, vel imo vero, beati qui audiunt verbum Dei”. Its position at the beginning of the sentence is contrary to Attic use: “‘reperitur apud solos Scriptores Macedonicos,” Sturz, De Dial. Mac. el Alez., . 203.—τὸν λόγον τ. θ., those who hear and keep the word of God, the truly blessed. Cf. ‘‘His word”’ in x. 39; an established phrase.--Expositor's Greek New Testament, Volume I, page 550
The editor of Expositor's Greek New Testament William Robertson Nicoll was a Calvinist.
Adam Clarke (British Methodist, Arminian leaning):
Verse 27. A certain woman - lifted up her voice, and said — It was very natural for a woman, who was probably a mother,
to exclaim thus. She thought that the happiness of the woman who was
mother to such a son was great indeed; but our blessed Lord shows her
that even the holy virgin could not be benefited by her merely being the
mother of his human nature, and that they only were happy who carried
Christ in their hearts. True happiness is found in hearing the glad tidings of salvation by Christ Jesus, and keeping them in a holy heart, and practising them in an unblamable life.--Clarke Commentary, Luke 11:27
Calvinistic Baptist commentator John Gill:
But he said
Christ said "to the
woman", Persic version reads, as correcting her, though not denying it,
nor reproving her for it, but improving upon it:
yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it;
intimating, that though his mother was happy in bearing and suckling
such a son, yet it was a far greater happiness to hear the word of God;
meaning either himself, the eternal "Logos", so as to embrace him,
believe on him, and have him formed in the heart; or the Gospel preached
by him, so as to understand it, receive it as the ingrafted word, and
bring forth fruit, and act in obedience to it, observe it, and abide by
it, and never relinquish it. This is a greater happiness than to be
related to Christ in the flesh, though ever so nearly. The Ethiopic
version reads, "that hear the word of God, and believe, and keep it":
for faith comes by hearing, and shows itself in doing. Barely to hear
the word, and even give an assent to it, will be of little avail, unless
what is heard and believed is put in practice. --John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, Luke 11:28
Albert Barnes (Presbyterian):
Yea, rather blessed ... - Jesus admits that she was happy - that it was an honor to be his mother, but he says that the chief happiness, the highest honor, was to obey the word of God. Compared with this, all earthly distinctions and honors are as nothing. Man's greatest dignity is in keeping the holy commandments of God, and in being prepared for heaven. --Barnes' Notes on the Bible, Luke 11:28
Matthew Poole's commentary states of course she is blessed,
Christ doth not here deny his mother to have been blessed; her cousin Elisabeth (Luke 1:42) had pronounced her blessed amongst women, and the angel had before called her highly favoured, and told her that she had found favour with God.
But our Saviour here declareth that her blessing did not so much lie in
that her womb bare, and her paps gave suck to him, as in that she was
one who heard and kept the word of God; for he pronounces all such as
did so principally blessed. Nor must we separate what God hath put
together; the blessing is not pronounced to those who barely hear the
word of God, the blessed and the unblessed pariter adeunt, pariter audiunt, they may go to church together, and hear the word together, but the blessing is to those that hear the word of God, and keep it. See Jam 1:22,23. The word to some that hear it may be a savour of death unto death.
The soul that through grace is made obedient to the will of God, is a
more happy soul than the virgin Mary was, considered merely as the
mother of Christ, without the consideration of her faith and holiness.--Matthew Poole's Commentary, Luke 11:27-28
As pointed out, the woman that said, "Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked" (Luke 11:27) was fulfilling Luke 1:48:
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.--Luke 1:48
Certainly, Jesus was not negating these words!
The argument some Protestants make trying to degrade Mary with this verse is largely meaningless and is used because it sounds degrading to Mary, though is not.
This link is a page by a Greek Orthodox scholar Stergios N. Sakkos explains the word more.
https://thecatholicwesleyan.blogspot.com/ has a pretty long section on this.
Professor Dr. Chrys C. Caragounis posted an article on his person website largely matching his book on this matter.
To be continued.
