Εἰπών· ὑπάγετε εἰς τὴν κατέναντι κώμην, ἐν ᾗ εἰσπορευόμενοι εὑρήσετε πῶλον δεδεμένον, ἐφ’ ὃν οὐδεὶς πώποτε ἀνθρώπων ἐκάθισε· λύσαντες αὐτὸν ἀγάγετε. (Luke 19:30)
Saying, “Go into the village opposite; in which as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one of men has ever sat; having loosed it, bring it.”
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Form | Morphology | Case & Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| τὴν … κώμην | 1st declension feminine accusative singular with article | Accusative object of εἰς | Destination of the disciples’ journey: “into the village.” |
| ᾗ | Relative pronoun, dative feminine singular | Dative of location | “In which” — referring back to κώμην, governing the participial clause. |
| πῶλον | 2nd declension masculine accusative singular | Accusative direct object of εὑρήσετε | “A colt” — the central object to be found. |
| ὃν | Relative pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative object of ἐκάθισε | “On which” — connects to the colt as the vehicle never yet ridden. |
| οὐδείς | Indefinite pronoun, nominative masculine singular | Subject of ἐκάθισε | “No one” — specifies the uniqueness of the colt. |
| ἀνθρώπων | 2nd declension masculine genitive plural | Partitive genitive with οὐδείς | “No one of men” — idiomatically “no person ever.” |
| αὐτόν | 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative direct object of λύσαντες and ἀγάγετε | Refers back to the colt, now the object of the command: “loose it, bring it.” |
Nominatives, Accusatives, and Genitives in Play
- Nominative: οὐδείς functions as the subject, stressing the never-before-ridden status of the colt.
- Accusatives: The repeated accusative πῶλον … ὃν … αὐτόν chains the commands tightly around the animal as the focal point of the mission.
- Genitive: ἀνθρώπων qualifies οὐδείς, grounding the universal statement of exclusion.
Theological and Symbolic Force
The grammatical structure enhances the symbolic claim: a colt untouched by humans, reserved for the king’s use. The accusatives make the animal the central object, the nominative subject underscores its untouched status, and the genitive drives home the universality of the claim.
Declensions That Prepare the King’s Way
In Luke 19:30, case endings orchestrate the scene: disciples are commanded, destination is fixed, the colt is grammatically spotlighted, and its uniqueness is stressed by nominative and genitive forms. Declensions here not only parse the sentence — they prepare for the moment of triumphal entry, where grammar becomes prophecy fulfilled.
