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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 Archives: Exegesis
Vision Lost, Sin Continued: The Present Tense of Abiding in 1 John 3:6
Πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει· πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν. (1 John 3:6)
Everyone who remains in him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen him nor known him.
Literary Context1 John 3:6 sits in the midst of a dense theological unit (1 John 2:28–3:10) concerned with divine sonship, ethical manifestation, and abiding in Christ (μένειν). This passage is not abstract mysticism; it’s incarnational ethics—a call to moral purity grounded in the revealed Christ.
The author offers strong binary categories: light/darkness, sin/righteousness, truth/error, love/hate. Within this framework, 3:6 serves as a diagnostic axiom: one who abides in Christ does not sin, and one who sins has neither seen nor known Him.… Learn Koine Greek
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Fulfillment, Not Abolition: Messiah and the Meaning of Torah
Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας· οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι. (Matthew 5:17)
Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Exegetical AnalysisThe imperative Μὴ νομίσητε (“Do not think”) is aorist active subjunctive with a negative particle, forming a prohibitive construction often used to correct false assumptions. The verb νομίζω implies supposing or presuming; Jesus is preemptively dismantling a possible misunderstanding of his mission. The infinitive construction ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι (“that I came to abolish”) follows as the content of the mistaken thought.… Learn Koine Greek
A Charge to Archippus: Faithfulness in Ministry in Colossians 4:17
Καὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ· βλέπε τὴν διακονίαν ἣν παρέλαβες ἐν κυρίῳ, ἵνα αὐτὴν πληροῖς (Colossians 4:17)
And say to Archippus: Watch over the ministry which you received in the Lord, so that you may fulfill it.
Colossians 4:17 delivers a solemn and direct exhortation to Archippus, likely a leader in the local church. The Greek structure is personal and urgent, combining careful attention with a call to complete what God entrusted. It reflects the seriousness of Christian ministry and communal encouragement.
Grammatical Foundationsκαὶ εἴπατε Ἀρχίππῳ—“And say to Archippus.”
εἴπατε—aorist active imperative, 2nd person plural from λέγω, “say.” The plural form suggests the whole congregation is to be involved in the exhortation.… Learn Koine GreekThe Lamb Will Conquer: Sovereignty and Victory in Revelation 17:14
Οὗτοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀρνίου πολεμήσουσι, καὶ τὸ ἀρνίον νικήσει αὐτούς, ὅτι κύριος κυρίων ἐστὶ καὶ βασιλεὺς βασιλέων, καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ κλητοὶ καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ καὶ πιστοί (Revelation 17:14)
These will wage war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful.
This triumphant declaration in Revelation 17:14 marks the decisive victory of the Lamb over the hostile powers of the world. The Greek uses future verbs, theological titles, and a trifold description of the Lamb’s companions to portray not only the outcome of the battle but also the reason behind it—his unmatched authority.… Learn Koine Greek
Strength Through Him: Present Tense and Empowered Endurance in Philippians 4:13
Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ. (Philippians 4:13)
I am able for all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Strength in the Present TensePhilippians 4:13 is often quoted but rarely studied with precision. Its grammar reveals a quiet, ongoing strength—not one of bravado or spiritual self-sufficiency, but of present, continuous empowerment. Paul does not speak of sudden miracles or overwhelming force. The verb ἰσχύω and the participle ἐνδυναμοῦντι form a grammatical partnership that underlines steady, God-given resilience. This verse teaches that Christ is not merely a source of strength—He is the one actively strengthening in every moment.
Present Tense and Instrumental ἐν with a Participial PhraseThe core structure is: πάντα ἰσχύω (“I have strength for all things”) followed by the instrumental phrase ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ—“through the one strengthening me, Christ.”… Learn Koine Greek
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
