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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
Category Archives: Exegesis
Provoking the Lord: The Peril of Presumption
Ἢ παραζηλοῦμεν τὸν Κύριον; μὴ ἰσχυρότεροι αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν; (1 Corinthians 10:22)
Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
The Rhetorical Force of the QuestionIn 1 Corinthians 10:22, Paul concludes a solemn warning with two piercing rhetorical questions: ἢ παραζηλοῦμεν τὸν Κύριον; and μὴ ἰσχυρότεροι αὐτοῦ ἐσμεν;. The particle ἢ (“or”) connects this verse to the preceding admonitions about idolatry, forcing the reader to confront the logical consequence of participating in pagan rituals. The verb παραζηλοῦμεν (present active indicative of παραζηλόω) means “to provoke to jealousy,” recalling Old Testament language where Israel’s idolatry stirred YHWH’s jealousy (cf.… Learn Koine Greek
The Great Priest Over God’s House: The Foundation of Confident Access
Καὶ ἱερέα μέγαν ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ, (Hebrews 10:21)
And having a great priest over the house of God,
The Context of a Completed WorkIn Hebrews 10:21, the author continues a chain of dependent clauses that began in verse 19, forming part of a single, magnificent argument for Christian assurance. The phrase καὶ ἱερέα μέγαν (“and [having] a great priest”) completes the dual foundation of confidence — first, free access to the holy place through Christ’s blood, and second, His enduring priesthood. The adjective μέγαν (“great”) carries both qualitative and hierarchical weight. This is not merely a high-ranking priest but the supreme one, surpassing all others in dignity and function.… Learn Koine Greek
The Inner Circumcision: Grammar as the Call to Transformation
Καὶ περιτεμεῖσθε τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν καὶ τὸν τράχηλον ὑμῶν οὐ σκληρυνεῖτε ἔτι (Δευτερονόμιον 10:16 LXX)
And you shall circumcise the hardness of your heart, and your neck you shall not harden any longer.
Grammatical InsightThe verse of Deuteronomy 10:16 in the Septuagint compresses profound theology into the tight syntax of command. The verb περιτεμεῖσθε (future middle indicative, second person plural of περιτέμνω) conveys an imperative nuance, functioning as a “prophetic future.” It invites the hearers not merely to perform a ritual but to participate in an inward transformation. The accusative object τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν (“the hardness of your heart”) personifies resistance to divine will, making grammar a vessel of moral anatomy.… Learn Koine Greek
The Grammar of Offering: Eternal Ordinance in the Syntax of Service
Τὸν βραχίονα τοῦ ἀφαιρέματος καὶ τὸ στηθύνιον τοῦ ἀφορίσματος ἐπὶ τῶν καρπωμάτων τῶν στεάτων προσοίσουσιν ἀφόρισμα ἀφορίσαι ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἔσται σοὶ καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς σου καὶ ταῖς θυγατράσιν σου μετὰ σοῦ νόμιμον αἰώνιον ὃν τρόπον συνέταξεν Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ (Λευιτικόν 10:15 LXX)
The arm of the removal and the breast of the separation they shall bring upon the offerings of the fat portions as a separation to separate before the Lord, and it shall be for you and for your sons and for your daughters with you as a perpetual statute, as the LORD commanded Moshe.
Grammatical InsightThe verse of Leviticus 10:15 in the Septuagint is a masterclass in priestly syntax, revealing how grammatical structure mirrors sacred hierarchy.… Learn Koine Greek
Peace That Moves: Conditional Syntax and the Return of Blessing
Καὶ ἐὰν μὲν ᾖ ἡ οἰκία ἀξία, ἐλθέτω ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν ἐπ’ αὐτήν· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ ἀξία, ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπιστραφήτω. (Matthew 10:13)
And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Two Conditions, One PeaceIn Matthew 10:13, Jesus gives his disciples a striking instruction about the transferability of peace. The sentence is built on two parallel conditional clauses—one positive and one negative—each governed by the particle ἐάν and the subjunctive of εἰμί (ᾖ). The syntax enacts the teaching: peace goes forth, yet peace returns.… Learn Koine Greek
Chains of Authority and the Invocation of the Name: Greek Syntax and Power in Acts 9:14
Καὶ ὧδε ἔχει ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δῆσαι πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομά σου. (Acts 9:14)
This verse appears in the climactic narrative of Saul’s conversion (Acts 9:1–19), one of the most theologically charged transformations in early Christian history. Spoken by Ananias, Acts 9:14 is part of his hesitant response to the Lord’s command to visit Saul—who until that moment was known as a fierce persecutor.
The verse functions as an accusation wrapped in concern: Saul possesses authority from the high priests to bind all who call upon the name of Jesus. It reflects the legal threat against the earliest believers, and foregrounds the tension between human authority and divine calling, setting the stage for Saul’s radical reorientation in verse 15.… Learn Koine Greek
Money into Perdition: Optatives, Infinitives, and the Value of the Gift
Πέτρος δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τὸ ἀργύριόν σου σὺν σοὶ εἴη εἰς ἀπώλειαν, ὅτι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνόμισας διὰ χρημάτων κτᾶσθαι. (Acts 8:20)
But Peter said to him, May your silver be with you for destruction, because you thought to acquire the gift of God through money.
Apostolic Rebuke in Rare GrammarIn Acts 8:20, Peter confronts Simon Magus, who thought he could purchase the power of the Holy Spirit. The verse is memorable not only for its severity but also for its striking use of the optative mood (εἴη) and an infinitival clause (κτᾶσθαι) that exposes Simon’s distorted assumption.… Learn Koine Greek
Two Witnesses: Pronouns, Participles, and Present Tense in John 8:18
Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ μαρτυρῶν περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, καὶ μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ ὁ πέμψας με πατήρ. (John 8:18)
I am the one bearing witness concerning myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness concerning me.
The Witness Formula in Johannine GrammarIn John 8:18, Jesus declares the legitimacy of His testimony by appealing to the principle of two witnesses — Himself and the Father who sent Him. The Greek grammar undergirds the theological weight of His words: emphatic pronouns, participial identity, and the present tense of continuous witness. Let us examine the structure closely.
1. ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ μαρτυρῶν — The Emphatic “I Am” and the Participle of Identity Parsing ἐγώ — nominative singular pronoun: “I”, used emphatically εἰμι — present active indicative, 1st singular of εἰμί: “am” ὁ μαρτυρῶν — present active participle, nominative masculine singular of μαρτυρέω: “the one testifying”The structure literally reads: “I am the one testifying about myself.”… Learn Koine Greek
Neither Surplus Nor Lack: The Theology of Indifference in 1 Corinthians 8:8
Βρῶμα δὲ ἡμᾶς οὐ παρίστησι τῷ Θεῷ· οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν φάγωμεν περισσεύομεν, οὔτε ἐὰν μὴ φάγωμεν ὑστερούμεθα. (1 Corinthians 8:8)
Literary Context
Situated within Paul’s broader discussion on food sacrificed to idols (1 Corinthians 8–10), this verse provides a theological clarification. The Corinthians were navigating issues of knowledge (γνῶσις), conscience, and communal love, especially as it related to eating meat from pagan temples.
Verse 8 qualifies the argument: food in itself does not bring us closer to God. However, Paul’s deeper concern is not dietary behavior alone, but the potential of knowledge to harm others when love is neglected. This verse sits as a pastoral clarification, not the structural center of the chapter.… Learn Koine Greek
The Grammar of Compassion: Voice, Place, and Affliction in Matthew 8:6
κύριε, ὁ παῖς μου βέβληται ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ παραλυτικός, δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος. (Matthew 8:6)
A Cry for Help in the Syntax of Suffering
Matthew 8:6 captures the plea of the centurion on behalf of his suffering servant. The sentence is rich in emotional weight and grammatical nuance, portraying:
A perfect passive verb expressing a completed and lasting condition
Locative prepositional structure identifying the setting
A predicate adjective defining his medical condition
A present passive participle showing ongoing torment
Let’s explore this prayer of urgency through a detailed grammar table.
Grammatical Analysis Table Greek Phrase Form & Morphology Function Meaning κύριε Vocative singular masculine Direct address “Lord” — a respectful title showing faith and urgency ὁ παῖς μου Nominative singular + possessive pronoun Subject “my servant” — object of concern βέβληται Perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular from βάλλω Main verb “has been thrown / lies” — permanent state of being cast down ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ Preposition + dative feminine singular Locative expression “in the house” — shows confinement παραλυτικός Predicate adjective, nominative masculine singular Describes subject “paralyzed” — condition resulting from the passive verb δεινῶς βασανιζόμενος Adverb + present passive participle from βασανίζω Descriptive modifier of subject “being terribly tormented” — ongoing suffering in vivid form Observations from the Syntax of MercyThe verb βέβληται is in the perfect passive, indicating that the servant has been cast down and remains in that state.… Learn Koine Greek
