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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
Written by My Own Hand: Emphasis and Intimacy in Galatians 6:11
Ἴδετε πηλίκοις ὑμῖν γράμμασιν ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί (Galatians 6:11)
See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand.
Galatians 6:11 marks a dramatic shift in tone and presentation. Paul, after dictating the letter through a scribe (as was common practice), now takes the stylus himself. The Greek draws attention to the act of writing and the form of the letters. It’s a moment of personal emphasis and visual signature, charged with apostolic authority and emotional urgency.
Grammatical FoundationsThe verse begins with the imperative Ἴδετε—“See!” or “Look!” It is a present active imperative, 2nd person plural from ὁράω, functioning as a direct call to attention.… Learn Koine Greek
“This Is the Man!”: Participles, Attributive Phrases, and the Shape of False Accusation
Κράζοντες· ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, βοηθεῖτε· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῦ τόπου τούτου πάντας πανταχοῦ διδάσκων· ἔτι τε καὶ Ἕλληνας εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ κεκοίνωκε τὸν ἅγιον τόπον τοῦτον· (Acts 21:28)
Crying out: “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place; and furthermore, he has brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”
A Tumult of AccusationActs 21:28 records a dramatic escalation in Jerusalem: the Jewish crowd turns violently against Paul. But it’s not just shouting—it’s a forensically crafted slander.… Learn Koine Greek
Traveling with Purpose: Participles and Presence in Acts 21:8
Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον ἐξελθόντες ἤλθομεν εἰς Καισάρειαν, καὶ εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φιλίππου τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, ὄντος ἐκ τῶν ἑπτὰ, ἐμείναμεν παρ’ αὐτῷ. (Acts 21:8)
And on the next day, having departed, we came to Caesarea; and having entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him.
From Departure to Hospitality: A Journey in Greek GrammarThis verse narrates a transition, not just of location, but of community and continuity in early church leadership. The Greek provides a rich lesson in temporal and circumstantial participles, embedded identity, and the use of historical present in narrative flow.… Learn Koine Greek
Fear and Full Disclosure: Participles and Perfects in Mark 5:33
Ἡ δὲ γυνὴ φοβηθεῖσα καὶ τρέμουσα, εἰδυῖα ὃ γέγονεν ἐπ’ αὐτῇ, ἦλθε καὶ προσέπεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. (Mark 5:33)
But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell before him and told him the whole truth.
A Woman’s Confession Framed in Greek PrecisionMark 5:33 captures the pivotal moment when the woman healed by touching Jesus’ garment reveals herself. This verse is a cascade of participles, perfects, and finite verbs, narrating not only what she does but how she feels and what she knows. The Greek syntax is intensely personal, as it enfolds her inner state, her physical response, and her ultimate truth-telling into a single flowing structure.… Learn Koine Greek
No Word Powerless: The Future Tense and the Certainty of Divine Speech in Luke 1:37
Ὅτι οὐκ ἀδυνατήσει παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ πᾶν ῥῆμα. (Luke 1:37)
For nothing will be impossible with God.
The Unbreakable Word of GodLuke 1:37 is a declaration of invincible divine speech. Spoken by the angel Gabriel to Miryam (Mary), the statement is syntactically simple but theologically seismic: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Yet in Greek, the form and force of the words point us not merely to the general omnipotence of God, but to the unfailing efficacy of God’s ῥῆμα—His spoken word. This truth is not philosophical but grammatical: the key lies in a single future-tense verb and an absolute negation.… Learn Koine Greek
Discerning Discipleship: Testing All Things, Holding to the Good
Πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε, τὸ καλὸν κατέχετε· (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
But test everything; hold fast to what is good.
The Command to Examine EverythingIn 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Paul delivers a compact yet far-reaching exhortation: πάντα δὲ δοκιμάζετε — “But test everything.” The verb δοκιμάζετε (present active imperative) urges continual action: not a one-time judgment, but a lifestyle of evaluation. Derived from the domain of metallurgy, the word implies testing to determine authenticity or value. This is no superficial scanning, but an intentional and discerning process. The object of the verb, πάντα (“everything”), is striking in its scope—there are no exceptions or sacred cows.… Learn Koine Greek
Not from Man, But from God: The Spirit-Borne Prophecy of Scripture
Τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες, ὅτι πᾶσα προφητεία γραφῆς ἰδίας ἐπιλύσεως οὐ γίνεται. οὐ γὰρ θελήματι ἀνθρώπου ἠνέχθη ποτὲ προφητεία, ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ Πνεύματος ἁγίου φερόμενοι ἐλάλησαν ἅγιοι Θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι. (2 Peter 1:20–21)
Knowing this first, that every prophecy of Scripture is not of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever brought by the will of man, but men spoke from God, being carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Exegetical AnalysisThis densely packed pair of verses begins with the phrase τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες — “knowing this first.” The participle γινώσκοντες (present active participle, nominative masculine plural) functions imperatively, meaning “you must know this above all.”… Learn Koine Greek
Come and See: The Syntax of Testimony and Wonder in John 4:29
John 4:29 is spoken by the Samaritan woman shortly after her transformative encounter with Jesus at Jacob’s well. After Jesus reveals her personal history and hints at his messianic identity, she leaves her water jar and runs back to the town, inviting others to come and see. This verse is not only a moment of personal testimony; it initiates the evangelization of an entire Samaritan village, prefiguring Gentile belief. The syntax of her invitation reflects both excitement and uncertainty — wonder wrapped in witness.
Structural AnalysisΔεῦτε ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα· μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός;
The sentence divides into three movements: (1) an imperative invitation Δεῦτε ἴδετε, (2) a relative clause identifying the man ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα, and (3) an interrogative clause μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός; that poses a leading question about his identity.… Learn Koine Greek
Fully Convinced: Faith in God’s Power in Romans 4:21
Romans 4:21 is part of Paul’s exposition on Abraham’s faith, presented as the model of justification by faith. In verses 18–22, Paul describes Abraham’s unwavering trust in God’s promise despite his old age and Sarah’s barrenness. This particular verse emphasizes the nature of Abraham’s confidence: it was not blind belief, but conviction rooted in God’s power to fulfill what He had promised.
Structural Analysisκαὶ πληροφορηθεὶς ὅτι ὃ ἐπήγγελται δυνατός ἐστι καὶ ποιῆσαι.
The sentence is built around a participial construction (πληροφορηθεὶς) followed by a content clause (ὅτι…ἐστι). The subject of the clause is ὃ (“that which”), referring to the divine promise.… Learn Koine Greek
Strength in the Messiah: A Greek Look at Philippians 4:13
Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ. (Philippians 4:13)
I am able for all things through Christ who strengthens me.
The Power of Sufficiency πάντα ἰσχύω – “I am strong for all things.” The verb ἰσχύω (present active indicative) means “to be strong,” “to have power or ability.” The direct object πάντα (“all things”) is accusative plural neuter, covering every situation Paul has discussed—from hunger to abundance. The emphasis is not on external achievement, but on inner spiritual sufficiency. Means of Empowermentἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ – “in Christ who strengthens me.”
ἐν + dative indicates means or sphere—“by” or “through.”… Learn Koine Greek