Ἔλαβε δὲ φόβος πάντας, καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεὸν, λέγοντες· ὅτι προφήτης μέγας ἐγήγερται ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. (Luke 7:16)
Holy Fear and Heavenly Grammar
Luke 7:16 captures the aftermath of a resurrection miracle: a holy fear grips the crowd, and their declaration of praise reflects both theological awe and grammatical richness. The sentence gives us two key aorist passive verbs that form the backbone of their proclamation: ἐγήγερται (“has been raised”) and ἐπεσκέψατο (“has visited”).
Verb Voice and Revelation
Let’s break down these two verbs:
- ἐγήγερται – Perfect Passive of ἐγείρω. This highlights that the prophet’s raising (or “being raised up”) is not just past, but has abiding significance. The passive voice attributes the action to an unnamed divine agent—clearly God.
- ἐπεσκέψατο – Aorist Middle of ἐπισκέπτομαι. Although it looks middle, its meaning leans toward divine initiative. This verb is often used in the LXX to describe God’s redemptive visitation of His people (cf. Exodus 4:31 LXX).
This interplay of divine passive and divine initiative mirrors a theological pattern: God acts, man responds. God raises, God visits—Israel witnesses and glorifies.
Divine Action, Grammatical Echo
The phrase προφήτης μέγας ἐγήγερται (“a great prophet has been raised”) echoes Old Testament prophetic traditions (like Elijah and Elisha), yet with new Messianic gravity. The use of the perfect tense here emphasizes permanence and divine origin. Not just a prophet “appeared”—he has been raised.
Similarly, ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ Θεὸς (“God has visited”) is not a casual visit—it implies salvation, redemption, and compassion. The verb’s aorist form compresses time, focusing the action into a decisive event.
Table of Grammatical Highlights
| Greek Verb | Form | Voice | Meaning | Theological Function |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐγήγερται | Perfect | Passive | “has been raised” | Divine commissioning of the prophet |
| ἐπεσκέψατο | Aorist | Middle (deponent) | “has visited” | God’s redemptive intervention |
| ἐδόξαζον | Imperfect | Active | “they were glorifying” | Ongoing praise from the people |
Where Grammar Meets Glory
This verse isn’t just a report—it’s a liturgical crescendo of awe, shaped by Greek verbal precision. The crowd’s theology is embedded in the tenses and voices of their verbs: they recognize a God who acts, a prophet who is sent, and a people who respond with fear and praise.
The structure echoes how divine intervention is spoken of throughout Scripture: in perfects that endure, and aorists that shake the world. Here, syntax becomes doxology—and fear becomes faith.
