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Greek Lessons
- Vindicated at the Table: How Speech Condemns and Grammar Acquits
- Carried, Not Carrying: The Grammar That Topples Boasting
- Spliced into Abundance: The Grammar of Displacement and Participation in ἐνεκεντρίσθης
- When the Heart Expands Toward Ruin: The Grammar of Self-Watchfulness
- Living, Begetting, Dying: The Grammar of Time and Continuity
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Category
Author Archives: Biblical Greek
1700 Years Later: What the Nicene Creed Got Wrong? A Look Through Arian and Eunomian Eyes
Exactly seventeen centuries have passed since the First Council of Nicaea convened on May 20, A.D. 325 — a gathering that, by June 19, promulgated the Nicene Creed, a defining statement of Christian orthodoxy that proclaimed the Son of God to be “true God from true God” and homoousios (of one essence) with the Father. But what if we examine that landmark creed through the eyes of its earliest and most formidable critics? In the wake of Nicaea, two theologians in particular – Arius of Alexandria and, a generation later, Eunomius of Cyzicus – stood in staunch opposition to the Nicene formula.… Learn Koine Greek
John 1:1 Grammatical and Christological Exegesis: A Balanced Study from Arian and Nicene Perspectives
Greek Text of John 1:1
ΕΝ ΑΡΧΗ ΗΝ Ο ΛΟΓΟC ΚΑΙ Ο ΛΟΓΟC ΗΝ ΠΡΟC ΤΟΝ ΘΝ ΚΑΙ ΘC ΗΝ Ο ΛΟΓΟC
Literal TranslationIN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH THE GOD AND GOD WAS THE WORD
1. Morphological and Grammatical Analysis Ἐν ἀρχῇ (en archē) – “In [the] beginning”. The preposition ἐν governs the dative noun ἀρχῇ. Echoes Genesis 1:1 in the Septuagint. Indicates that the Logos existed before creation. ἦν (ēn) – Imperfect active indicative of εἰμί (“to be”), 3rd person singular. Continuous existence in the past. Contrasts with ἐγένετο used of created things in John 1:3.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar, Theology
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Driven by the Spirit: The Temptation Prelude in Matthew 4:1
Τότε ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀνήχθη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, πειρασθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου
Matthew 4:1 opens the temptation narrative not with confrontation, but with movement—Jesus is led up into the wilderness. The grammar slows the moment down, lets it breathe. Every verb carries tension: divine agency, passive obedience, and looming opposition. It’s a theological tightrope, and the Greek balances it carefully.
Grammatical FoundationsThe main verb ἀνήχθη is an aorist passive—Jesus “was led up.” The passive voice matters: he doesn’t initiate the action. It’s the Spirit’s doing. This verb, from ἀναφέρω or ἀνάγω, often implies elevation—both literally (upward) and spiritually.… Learn Koine Greek
Synonyms: Two Dimensions of Love: ἀγαπάω and φιλέω in the Greek New Testament
Few word pairs in the Greek New Testament have received as much theological and devotional attention as ἀγαπάω and φιλέω. Both are typically translated “to love,” yet their nuances differ significantly. While these differences can sometimes overlap, especially in Koine Greek, their contextual usage in Scripture—particularly in the writings of John—suggests meaningful distinctions. This article explores the etymology, usage, and theological significance of these two key verbs.
Lexical Definitions and Etymology ἀγαπάω – Derived from ἀγάπη, this verb refers to love in a volitional, unconditional, or principled sense. It emphasizes action, commitment, and sacrificial goodwill. It is often described as the highest form of love, rooted in choice rather than emotion.… Learn Koine GreekSynonyms: Malice in the Heart: κακία and κακοήθεια in the Greek New Testament
Two Greek words—κακία and κακοήθεια—provide insight into the inner world of moral corruption in the New Testament. While both relate to evil or badness, their applications are distinct. κακία denotes general moral depravity or wickedness in character. κακοήθεια, however, highlights malicious intent—particularly a disposition of evil-thinking or malevolence toward others. This article traces their usage, meaning, and theological significance within the biblical framework of sin and transformation.
Lexical Definitions and Word Origins κακία – Derived from the adjective κακός (“bad,” “evil”), this noun denotes badness, wickedness, or moral evil. It is a broad term encompassing moral corruption, harmful behavior, and general opposition to the good.… Learn Koine GreekLike Nonsense: Grammatical Dismissal and Resurrection Doubt in Luke 24:11
Words Dismissed: Literary and Theological Context of Luke 24:11
Luke 24:11 — καὶ ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ λῆρος τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἠπίστουν αὐταῖς. (“And their words appeared to them as nonsense, and they did not believe them.”)
This verse captures the initial reaction of the apostles to the report of the women who witnessed the empty tomb and angelic proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection. It stands as a moment of ironic inversion: those who are closest to Jesus and trained by him to expect his resurrection dismiss the testimony of the first witnesses. Luke’s narrative choice to present women as the first bearers of the resurrection news—and the disciples’ rejection of it—carries theological weight and is linguistically intensified through specific grammatical constructions.… Learn Koine Greek
Imperatives and Participles in Motion: Joseph’s Command in Genesis 45:9 LXX
Σπεύσαντες οὖν ἀνάβητε πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ εἴπατε αὐτῷ τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱός σου Ιωσηφ ἐποίησέν με ὁ θεὸς κύριον πάσης γῆς Αἰγύπτου κατάβηθι οὖν πρός με καὶ μὴ μείνῃς (Genesis 45:9 LXX)
Hasten, therefore, go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Ioseph: God has made me lord of all the land of Egypt. Come down, therefore, to me, and do not delay.”
Grammar that UrgesWhen Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, his words cascade with urgency. The verse employs a participle plus imperatives (σπεύσαντες … ἀνάβητε), direct speech formulae (τάδε λέγει), and a final pair of commands (κατάβηθι … μὴ μείνῃς).… Learn Koine Greek
Temporal Particles and the Rhythm of Pursuit: ἐξελθόντων and the Syntax of Suspense in Genesis 44:4
We now enter the dramatic corridor of Joseph’s final test upon his brothers—a moment thick with irony, emotion, and grammatical precision. In this pivotal verse from Genesis, the LXX translator crafts a scene that hinges not only on action but on timing, using participle form and temporal syntax to shape tension and narrative rhythm.
ἐξελθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν πόλιν οὐκ ἀπέσχον μακράν καὶ Ιωσηφ εἶπεν τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ ἀναστὰς ἐπιδίωξον ὀπίσω τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ καταλήμψῃ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐρεῖς αὐτοῖς τί ὅτι ἀνταπεδώκατε πονηρὰ ἀντὶ καλῶνThis verse marks the turning point in Joseph’s emotional trial—his silver cup is sent after his brothers, and their return is engineered through language that blends urgency, accusation, and moral inversion.… Learn Koine Greek
Wisdom on Display: Subjunctive Clauses, Demonstratives, and Divine Reputation
Καὶ φυλάξεσθε καὶ ποιήσετε ὅτι αὕτη ἡ σοφία ὑμῶν καὶ ἡ σύνεσις ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν ὅσοι ἐὰν ἀκούσωσιν πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα καὶ ἐροῦσιν ἰδοὺ λαὸς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων τὸ ἔθνος τὸ μέγα τοῦτο (Deuteronomy 4:6 LXX)
The Command and Its Consequence
This verse is an exhortation with deep theological and grammatical architecture. It commands Israel to obey the statutes of YHWH — not merely for inward holiness, but for a powerful external witness among the nations. The Greek Septuagint captures this with complex subordinate structures and precise use of demonstratives, subjunctives, and predicate nouns.
The central exhortation comes in the twin imperatives: – φυλάξεσθε — “You shall guard” – ποιήσετε — “You shall do”
These aorist middle imperatives address not just passive preservation, but active obedience to divine instruction.… Learn Koine Greek
In the Beginning, a Definite Beginning: The Grammar of Articles, Cases, and Cosmic Syntax
ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐποίησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν (Genesis 1:1 LXX)
The Opening Word: A Dative Without an Article
The phrase ἐν ἀρχῇ begins the Septuagint with a striking grammatical choice — a preposition ἐν followed by a dative singular feminine noun ἀρχῇ, meaning “beginning.” Notably, it lacks a definite article, unlike its classical counterpart ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ which would be expected in Attic prose.
This anarthrous use opens interpretive and theological space. Grammatically, the omission likely reflects Semitic influence, mirroring the Hebrew בְּרֵאשִׁית (bəreshit), which is likewise without an article. Linguistically, it signals an absolute beginning — not just a specific, known beginning in time, but the very commencement of time itself.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Septuagint Greek
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