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Greek Lessons
- The Question of Eternal Life: Syntax of Testing and Inquiry in Luke 10:25
- The Grammar of Astonishment and Difficulty
- The Urgency of Flight: Syntax, Eschatology, and the Grammar of Mission in Matthew 10:23
- Provoking the Lord: The Peril of Presumption
- The Great Priest Over God’s House: The Foundation of Confident Access
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Category
Monthly Archives: January 2015
“ἵνα σταυρωθῇ”: Divine Passive and Purpose in Mark 15:15
Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας. ἵνα σταυρωθῇ. (Mark 15:15)
But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas; and after scourging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
The Purpose of BetrayalThe final words of Mark 15:15 record the intended outcome of Pilate’s decision: ἵνα σταυρωθῇ — “in order that he might be crucified.”
This is a classic ἵνα-clause, which expresses purpose or result, but what stands out is the verb form: σταυρωθῇ, an aorist passive subjunctive. In context, this passive verb is not merely grammatical—it is theological: Jesus is not just crucified by men, but according to the plan of God.… Learn Koine Greek
“φραγελλώσας”: The Aorist Participle of Brutality and Irony in Mark 15:15
Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας. ἵνα σταυρωθῇ. (Mark 15:15)
But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas; and after scourging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
The King’s Coronation Begins in ScourgingMark 15:15 records Pilate’s final act of surrender to the crowd’s demand: ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας. “He released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.”
Here we focus on the participle φραγελλώσας {phragellōsas}, an aorist active participle of φραγελλόω—a loanword from Latin flagellum (whip).… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar, Syntax, Theology
Tagged aorist active participle, aorist participle, Mark 15:15
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“παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν”: The Grammar of Surrender and Judgment in Mark 15:15
Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας. ἵνα σταυρωθῇ.
But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas; and after scourging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
When the Judge Becomes the DelivererMark 15:15 reports Pilate’s final act: καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας· ἵνα σταυρωθῇ — “And he handed over Jesus, having scourged him, so that he might be crucified.”
The verb παρέδωκε {paredōken} comes from παραδίδωμι, “to hand over,” and it is rich in judicial and theological nuance. It appears in both secular legal texts and biblical prophecy.… Learn Koine Greek
“ἀπέλυσεν τὸν Βαραββᾶν”: Legal Release and Narrative Irony in Mark 15:15
Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας. ἵνα σταυρωθῇ. (Mark 15:15)
But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas; and after scourging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
The Inversion of JusticeMark 15:15 includes this concise but pivotal clause: ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν — “He released Barabbas to them.”
This clause marks a dramatic reversal: Barabbas, a known insurrectionist (Mark 15:7), is set free, while Yeshuʿ, the innocent one, is delivered to death. The verb ἀπέλυσεν {apelusen} is drawn from legal vocabulary, but in this context it functions with narrative irony and theological gravity.… Learn Koine Greek
“τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι”: Idiom of Appeasement in Mark 15:15
Ὁ δὲ Πιλᾶτος βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, ἀπέλυσεν αὐτοῖς τὸν Βαραββᾶν, καὶ παρέδωκε τὸν Ἰησοῦν φραγελλώσας. ἵνα σταυρωθῇ. (Mark 15:15)
But Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released to them Barabbas; and after scourging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
When Justice Bows to Crowd ControlMark 15:15 opens with a participial phrase describing Pilate’s inner intent: βουλόμενος τῷ ὄχλῳ τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι — “wishing to satisfy the crowd.”
This expression is built around the idiom τὸ ἱκανὸν ποιῆσαι, literally “to do the sufficient [thing],” or more naturally, “to appease / satisfy.” This polite Greek formulation masks the deeper tension of political expedience, and the grammar expresses Pilate’s willing participation in injustice.… Learn Koine Greek
Ready to Preach: Apostolic Eagerness in Romans 1:15
Romans 1:15 concludes Paul’s opening expression of longing to visit the believers in Rome (vv. 8–15). After describing his prayers, obligations to all people, and desire to impart a spiritual gift (vv. 11–14), Paul declares his readiness to preach the gospel even in Rome — the capital of the empire. This verse serves as a hinge, transitioning from the introduction into the main theological thesis (v. 16).
Structural Analysisοὕτω τὸ κατ’ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι.
The sentence consists of: (1) the adverbial particle οὕτω (“thus/so”), (2) a nominal clause τὸ κατ’ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον — “my readiness” or “what is eager in me,” and (3) an infinitive of purpose εὐαγγελίσασθαι (“to preach the gospel”), with its dative object ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ (“to you in Rome”).… Learn Koine Greek
