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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
Doctrine That Heals: Speaking What Fits Sound Teaching
Σὺ δὲ λάλει ἃ πρέπει τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ. (Titus 2:1)
But you, speak the things which are fitting for sound teaching.
Exegetical AnalysisThe verse begins with Σὺ δὲ, a strong emphatic contrast. The pronoun Σὺ (“you”) is unnecessary grammatically but present for emphasis, likely contrasting Titus with false teachers just mentioned in the previous context. The adversative particle δὲ reinforces the contrast — you, however. The imperative λάλει (“speak”) is a present active imperative, implying continuous action. Paul instructs Titus to engage in an ongoing ministry of truthful, verbal instruction.
The object of this speech is expressed as ἃ πρέπει, literally “the things which are fitting” or “what is appropriate.”… Learn Koine Greek
No Regard for Faces: Grammatical Irony and Moral Clarity in Matthew 22:16
Καὶ ἀποστέλλουσιν αὐτῷ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτῶν μετὰ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀληθὴς εἶ καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διδάσκεις, καὶ οὐ μέλει σοι περὶ οὐδενός· οὐ γὰρ βλέπεις εἰς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου· (Matthew 22:16)
And they send to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and that you teach the way of God in truth, and you do not care about anyone, for you do not look at the face of man.”
Setting the Trap with Polished GreekThis verse opens the famous entrapment scene regarding taxes to Caesar. But before the trap is sprung, the Pharisees and Herodians present their false flattery—and it is crafted with exquisite Greek.… Learn Koine Greek
The Guide into All Truth: Pneumatology and Prophetic Voice
Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς εἰς πάσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν· οὐ γὰρ λαλήσει ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ’ ὅσα ἂν ἀκούσει λαλήσει, καὶ τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν. (John 16:13)
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things to come.
Exegetical AnalysisThe verse begins with ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ — a temporal clause using ὅταν with an aorist subjunctive (ἔλθῃ), the standard Koine way of speaking about indefinite future time (“when he comes”).… Learn Koine Greek
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The Test of Trust: Interpreting Earthly Wealth in Luke 16:11
Luke 16:11 comes in the aftermath of the parable of the unjust steward (Luke 16:1–9), a notoriously challenging passage in which Jesus commends shrewdness in handling worldly wealth. The surrounding verses (10–13) form a series of sayings about faithfulness, trust, and stewardship. Verse 11 is part of a logical sequence: if one proves unfaithful with lesser, earthly matters, how can one be entrusted with eternal ones? This verse plays a pivotal role in transitioning from the parable to direct ethical and theological application.
Structural Analysisεἰ οὖν ἐν τῷ ἀδίκῳ μαμωνᾷ πιστοὶ οὐκ ἐγένεσθε, τὸ ἀληθινὸν τίς ὑμῖν πιστεύσει;
This is a first-class conditional sentence, with the condition assumed to be true for the sake of argument.… Learn Koine Greek
Imitating the Imitator: A Call to Reflect Christ Through Paul
Μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Become imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
A Bold Command Rooted in HumilityIn 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul offers a striking command: Μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, “Become imitators of me.” The imperative γίνεσθε (present middle imperative, second person plural) emphasizes an ongoing process of becoming, not a static imitation. The noun μιμηταί (imitators) evokes the imagery of discipleship, patterning one’s life after a model. At first glance, the command seems audacious—Paul urging others to follow his example. But the phrase that follows, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ (“just as I also am of Christ”), transforms this imperative into an act of profound humility.… Learn Koine Greek
Greet Apelles and the Household of Aristobulus: Honor and Fellowship in Romans 16:10
Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀπελλῆν τὸν δόκιμον ἐν Χριστῷ. ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἀριστοβούλου (Romans 16:10)
Romans 16:10 reflects Paul’s deep relational network in the early church. The greetings offered are more than formal—they honor character, affirm identity in Christ, and recognize the church’s spread into diverse social circles. The Greek text communicates precision, respect, and affection in just a few words.
Grammatical Foundationsἀσπάσασθε Ἀπελλῆν τὸν δόκιμον ἐν Χριστῷ—“Greet Apelles, the approved one in Christ.”
ἀσπάσασθε—aorist middle imperative, 2nd person plural from ἀσπάζομαι, meaning “greet,” used here as a formal or affectionate salutation. Ἀπελλῆν—accusative masculine singular proper noun, the name of a Christian in Rome.… Learn Koine GreekAmbition Toward the Invisible: Participles and Purpose in 2 Corinthians 5:9
Διὸ καὶ φιλοτιμούμεθα, εἴτε ἐνδημοῦντες εἴτε ἐκδημοῦντες, εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι. (2 Corinthians 5:9)
Therefore we also strive, whether at home or away, to be pleasing to Him.
Living to Please the Unseen JudgeThis verse unfolds Paul’s deepest drive: the desire to be found pleasing to the Lord, whether in life or death, presence or absence. The syntax is deliberate, layered with participial motion and verb-subject dynamics that reveal a life of holy ambition grounded in eschatological accountability.
This study explores:
The middle voice nuance of φιλοτιμούμεθα as sacred ambition The syntactic pairing εἴτε ἐνδημοῦντες εἴτε ἐκδημοῦντες as a rhetorical balance The infinitival purpose clause εὐάρεστοι αὐτῷ εἶναι and its theological force φιλοτιμούμεθα – Holy Aspiration in the Middle VoiceThe central verb φιλοτιμούμεθα comes from φιλοτιμέομαι, meaning “to aspire,” “to strive eagerly,” or “to consider it an honor.”… Learn Koine Greek
When He Comes: Future Conviction and the Work of the Spirit in John 16:8
Καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐκεῖνος ἐλέγξει τὸν κόσμον περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ περὶ κρίσεως. (John 16:8)
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment.
The Spirit’s Mission: Conviction in Three DimensionsJohn 16:8 captures a profound promise from Jesus about the coming of the Paraclete — the Holy Spirit. His role is not merely to comfort or remind, but to confront. The verse is syntactically simple, yet theologically loaded. It features a temporal aorist participle, a future active verb, and a triple prepositional phrase with the genitive. These features together structure the Spirit’s mission in the world: to expose, to convict, and to clarify what humanity misunderstands about sin, righteousness, and judgment.… Learn Koine Greek
The Disease of Discourse: When Doctrine Turns Toxic
Ταῦτα δίδασκε καὶ παρακάλει. εἴ τις ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖ καὶ μὴ προσέρχεται ὑγιαίνουσι λόγοις τοῖς τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῇ κατ’ εὐσέβειαν διδασκαλίᾳ, τετύφωται, μηδὲν ἐπιστάμενος, ἀλλὰ νοσῶν περὶ ζητήσεις καὶ λογομαχίας, ἐξ ὧν γίνεται φθόνος, ἔρις, βλασφημίαι, ὑπόνοιαι πονηραί, (1 Timothy 6:2–4)
These things teach and encourage. If anyone teaches differently and does not come to the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited, understanding nothing, but is diseased concerning controversies and word battles, from which come envy, strife, blasphemies, and evil suspicions.
The Command to Teach and EncourageThe verse begins with two imperatives: δίδασκε (“teach”) and παρακάλει (“encourage” or “exhort”).… Learn Koine Greek
Victory Before the Storm: Perfect Tense and Peace in John 16:33
ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ εἰρήνην ἔχητε. ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλῖψιν ἔξετε· ἀλλὰ θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον.
The Grammar of Final Words
In John 16:33, Jesus offers His final words before the High Priestly Prayer and His arrest. These words are not casual; they are structured with theological tension and grammatical power. Two perfect-tense verbs—λελάληκα and νενίκηκα—frame the entire verse. Between them sits a storm: θλῖψιν (“tribulation”). This verse teaches not just about peace and courage, but how grammar itself becomes an anchor for those walking through affliction.
Grammatical Focus: The Perfect Tense as Completed VictoryThe perfect tense in Greek describes a completed action with continuing results.… Learn Koine Greek
