Today’s exploration of New Testament Greek grammar centers on a dramatic and powerful teaching found in εἰ δὲ ἡ χείρ σου ἢ ὁ πούς σου σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὰ καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· καλόν σοί ἐστιν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλόν ἢ κυλλὸν, ἢ δύο χεῖρας ἢ δύο πόδας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον from Matthew 18:8. This intense imagery is packed with grammatical forms that sharpen the urgency of the message, including conditional sentences, imperatives, and infinitives of purpose and result.
The Greek Text in Focus
εἰ δὲ ἡ χείρ σου ἢ ὁ πούς σου σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὰ καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· καλόν σοί ἐστιν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλόν ἢ κυλλὸν, ἢ δύο χεῖρας ἢ δύο πόδας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον (Matthew 18:8)
“And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut them off and throw them away from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than having two hands or two feet to be cast into the eternal fire.”
Grammatical Highlights
This vivid passage contains many important grammatical features:
- εἰ … σκανδαλίζει — Conditional sentence (first class, assuming reality).
- ἔκκοψον — Aorist imperative active (“cut off”).
- βάλε — Aorist imperative active (“throw away”).
- καλόν … εἰσελθεῖν — Infinitive phrase expressing purpose or result (“it is good to enter”).
- βληθῆναι — Aorist passive infinitive (“to be thrown”).
The Force of the Aorist Imperatives
Notice the use of the aorist imperatives ἔκκοψον and βάλε. In Greek, the aorist imperative does not necessarily emphasize speed but rather presents the action as decisive and complete. The command is not to gradually remove the offending limb but to take immediate, decisive action. The sense is urgent: act decisively to avoid greater loss!
Conditional Reality: The εἰ Clause
The structure begins with εἰ (“if”) followed by an indicative verb σκανδαλίζει (“causes to stumble”). This creates a first-class condition, assuming the reality of the situation: “If (and it does) your hand or foot causes you to stumble…” It acknowledges human weakness as a given, not a hypothetical scenario.
Infinitives of Entrance and Casting
The infinitives εἰσελθεῖν (“to enter”) and βληθῆναι (“to be cast”) are critical. They function as verbal nouns describing states of existence: entering life versus being thrown into eternal fire. Their placement contrasts two ultimate destinies, making the stakes abundantly clear.
| Word | Form | Function | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| σκανδαλίζει | Present Indicative Active, 3rd Singular | Main verb of the conditional clause | Causes to stumble |
| ἔκκοψον | Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Singular | Command to cut off | Cut off |
| βάλε | Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Singular | Command to throw away | Throw away |
| εἰσελθεῖν | Aorist Infinitive Active | Result or purpose infinitive | To enter |
| βληθῆναι | Aorist Infinitive Passive | Result or destiny infinitive | To be cast |
The Vocabulary of Loss and Gain
Greek expresses profound theological ideas through compact verbal choices. Notice how sensory and physical verbs are used to teach deep spiritual realities:
- ἔκκοψον (cut off) — violent separation from sin.
- βάλε (throw away) — total rejection of what causes downfall.
- εἰσελθεῖν (to enter) — reaching true life, even at great cost.
- βληθῆναι (to be cast) — passive judgment, a destiny one undergoes.
Such vivid verbs call for an equally vivid response. Grammar here is not merely decorative but demands action.
Decisive Verbs for Eternal Choices
In Matthew 18:8, every verb cuts like a blade, pushing readers to decisive action. Aorist imperatives demand not gradual reform but radical surgery. Infinitives map out the eternal destinies awaiting different choices. Even the conditional structure confronts us with the harsh realities of sin and grace. Greek grammar thus becomes a sharp tool in the hands of the divine teacher, carving paths that lead either to life or to loss.
