-
Greek Lessons
- The Grammar of Good Ground: Parsing Luke 8:15
- The Fever That Met the Word: A Greek Look at Matthew 8:14
- Temporal Precision and Aspectual Framing in Genesis 8:13
- Warnings in Participles: The Grammar of Subtle Caution in Deuteronomy 8:12
- Knowledge and Sacrifice: Koine Clarity and Classical Nuance in Paul’s Admonition
-
Category
Category Archives: Exegesis
The Astonishment of the Familiar: Questions, Aspect, and Divine Wisdom in Mark 6:2
Καὶ γενομένου σαββάτου ἤρξατο ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ διδάσκειν· καὶ πολλοὶ ἀκούοντες ἐξεπλήσσοντο λέγοντες· Πόθεν τούτῳ ταῦτα; καὶ τίς ἡ σοφία ἡ δοθεῖσα αὐτῷ, καὶ δυνάμεις τοιαῦται διὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ γίνονται; (Mark 6:2)
When the Hometown Is Shocked
Mark 6:2 opens the scene in the Nazareth synagogue where Jesus, the carpenter’s son, teaches with divine authority. The reaction is not mere admiration—it’s astonishment laced with skepticism. Through participles, imperfects, and rhetorical questions, the Greek grammar unveils not just surprise, but the psychological tension of encountering the holy in the ordinary.
This article explores:
The genitive absolute γενομένου σαββάτου and temporal framing The imperfect verb ἤρξατο and its narrative onset The participle + finite verb pair ἀκούοντες… ἐξεπλήσσοντο The interrogative phrases Πόθεν…; and τίς ἡ σοφία…; γενομένου σαββάτου – Framing the Sacred TimeThe verse begins with a genitive absolute, indicating the background circumstance.… Learn Koine Greek
The Fellowship of the Journey: A Missionary Team in Acts 20:4
Acts 20:4 lists the companions of Paul as he journeys through Macedonia and prepares to return to Asia. This verse comes after Paul has encouraged believers in the region and is heading toward Jerusalem with the collection for the saints. The travel narrative subtly underscores the unity and diversity of Paul’s ministry partners, drawing from different churches and regions — a living portrait of the universal Church.
Structural Analysisσυνείπετο δὲ αὐτῷ ἄχρι τῆς Ἀσίας Σώπατρος Βεροιαῖος, Θεσσαλονικέων δὲ Ἀρίσταρχος καὶ Σεκοῦνδος, καὶ Γάϊος Δερβαῖος καὶ Τιμόθεος, Ἀσιανοὶ δὲ Τυχικὸς καὶ Τρόφιμος.
The main verb συνείπετο (“was accompanying”) governs the whole verse.… Learn Koine Greek
Captivated and Carried Away: Participial Chains and Gendered Grammar in 2 Timothy 3:6
Ἐκ τούτων γάρ εἰσιν οἱ ἐνδύνοντες εἰς τὰς οἰκίας καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντες γυναικάρια σεσωρευμένα ἁμαρτίαις, ἀγόμενα ἐπιθυμίαις ποικίλαις, (2 Timothy 3:6)
For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak-willed women burdened with sins, led astray by various desires.
Seducers and the Seduced: Paul’s Syntax of Moral DeclineIn 2 Timothy 3:6, Paul offers a profile of manipulative deceivers and their vulnerable targets. Through an intense chain of participles and passives, the verse depicts predators who infiltrate homes and ensnare weak-willed women, using both morphology and syntax to dramatize the spiritual captivity.
We’ll use a grammar table to unpack this vivid passage, focusing on:
– Participles indicating actions of infiltration and manipulation – Passive participles marking moral vulnerability – Prepositional phrases with dative or accusative – Gender-specific diminutives with theological implications
Grammatical Analysis Table Greek Phrase Form & Morphology Function Meaning ἐκ τούτων γάρ εἰσιν Preposition + demonstrative (gen.… Learn Koine GreekGrammatical Incarnation: How Syntax Bears Divine Meaning in John 1:1
Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. (John 1:1)
This verse isn’t just theology expressed in Greek—it’s theology through Greek. Every grammatical choice becomes a theological statement. Let’s dissect three linguistic miracles that shape this doctrinal foundation.
Three Pillars of Sacred Grammar 1. The Definite Article as Theological Marker: ὁ λόγοςThe article ὁ transforms λόγος from abstract concept to divine person. Compare:
Construction Grammar Function Christological Impact ὁ λόγος Identifiable subject Personal, knowable Word λόγος (hypothetical anarthrous) Indefinite/conceptual Would imply impersonal force 2. ἦν: The Imperfect Tense as Eternity’s VerbThe threefold ἦν (imperfect of εἰμί) creates a grammatical trinity:
Aspect: Continuous action (no beginning/end) Theological Code: Echoes John 8:58’s divine claim “Before Abraham was, I AM” (πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγώ εἰμι) Contrast: Compare with aorist ἐγένετο in John 1:14 for incarnation 3.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Exegesis, Syntax
Leave a comment
Power from Above: Divine Sovereignty and Moral Responsibility in John 19:11
John 19:11 takes place during Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilate has just asked Jesus, “Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” (John 19:10). Jesus replies with the verse in question, exposing the illusion of Roman power and asserting a divine framework behind human actions. This verse is a theological fulcrum — it speaks to divine sovereignty, delegated authority, and relative guilt.
Structural Analysisἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· οὐκ εἶχες ἐξουσίαν οὐδεμίαν κατ’ ἐμοῦ, εἰ μὴ ἦν δεδομένον σοι ἄνωθεν· διὰ τοῦτο ὁ παραδιδούς μέ σοι μείζονα ἁμαρτίαν ἔχει.
The sentence unfolds in two parts: first, a correction of Pilate’s claim to power, and second, a statement about the relative guilt of those involved in Jesus’ betrayal and condemnation.… Learn Koine Greek
When Two Sound as One: Conditional Prayer and the Grammar of Agreement
Πάλιν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐὰν δύο ὑμῶν συμφωνήσωσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς περὶ παντὸς πράγματος οὗ ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται, γενήσεται αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς. (Matthew 18:19)
A Seminar in the Syntax of Prayer (Q&A Style)
Q: Why does the sentence begin with Πάλιν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν?
A: The cluster Πάλιν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν forms a solemn discourse marker: “Truly, I say to you again.” The adverb Πάλιν signals continuation and reinforcement; ἀμὴν solemnizes what follows; λέγω ὑμῖν establishes authoritative address. Word order front-loads urgency before the condition is even stated.
Q: What kind of condition appears in this verse?… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Exegesis, Syntax, Theology
Leave a comment
Power in Weakness: Divine Strength and the Subjunctive of Purpose in 2 Corinthians 12:9
καὶ εἴρηκέ μοι· ἀρκεῖ σοι ἡ χάρις μου· ἡ γὰρ δύναμίς μου ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. ἥδιστα οὖν μᾶλλον καυχήσομαι ἐν ταῖς ἀσθενείαις μου, ἵνα ἐπισκηνώσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
The Grammar of Surrender and Strength
2 Corinthians 12:9 records the Lord’s personal word to Paul in response to his plea for relief. But the answer is unexpected and transformative: not deliverance, but grace. Not removal of weakness, but infusion of power. And it is Greek grammar—specifically the use of the perfect tense, present indicative, and subjunctive of purpose—that unfolds this paradox. In this verse, divine power is not revealed despite weakness, but through it, and the syntax itself teaches us to embrace God’s logic of grace.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Exegesis
Leave a comment
Abounding in Grace: Subjunctive Purpose and Spiritual Fullness in 2 Corinthians 8:7
Ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐν παντὶ περισσεύετε, πίστει καὶ λόγῳ καὶ γνώσει καὶ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ χάριτι περισσεύητε. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
Overflowing in All Things: Context and Contrast
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul exhorts the Corinthians to follow through in generosity toward the Jerusalem believers. He frames the appeal not as a command but as an invitation to participate in grace. Verse 7 uses grammatical symmetry and a subjunctive purpose clause to extend that invitation: as they abound in many spiritual virtues, so they should also abound in this particular χάρις — the grace of giving.… Learn Koine Greek
Slaves Who Promise Freedom: Participles, Paradox, and Passive Conquest in 2 Peter 2:19
Ἐλευθερίαν αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, αὐτοὶ δοῦλοι ὑπάρχοντες τῆς φθορᾶς· ᾧ γάρ τις ἥττηται, τούτῳ καὶ δεδούλωται. (2 Peter 2:19)
Deception in Voice and Form
This verse from 2 Peter delivers a scathing rebuke against false teachers who promise liberty, yet are themselves enslaved to corruption. The Greek construction powerfully reinforces this moral irony, through its layered participles, passives, and causal logic.
We will examine the verse’s core grammar using a structured table, highlighting:
– Present participles that describe deceptive activity and true condition – A genitive of subjection that defines the master – A dative of subjection that follows a perfect passive verb – A causal clause structured around identity and subjugation
Grammatical Analysis Table Greek Phrase Form & Morphology Function Meaning ἐλευθερίαν αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγελλόμενοι Present middle participle, nominative plural masculine from ἐπαγγέλλομαι Adjectival participle modifying the false teachers “promising them freedom” — deceptive appearance of liberty αὐτοὶ δοῦλοι ὑπάρχοντες τῆς φθορᾶς Present active participle (ὑπάρχοντες) + genitive of subjection Predicate description “they themselves are slaves of corruption” — contrasting reality to their message ᾧ γάρ τις ἥττηται Relative pronoun in dative + perfect passive indicative, 3rd sg.… Learn Koine GreekShe Held a Grudge: Imperfects and the Tension of Unfulfilled Malice in Mark 6:19
ἡ δὲ Ἡρῳδιὰς ἐνεῖχεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἤθελεν αὐτὸν ἀποκτεῖναι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο· (Mark 6:19)
When Verbs Smolder: The Force of the Imperfect Tense
This compact verse in Mark captures the simmering hatred of Herodias toward John the Baptist. Its power lies not in a dramatic climax, but in the tension between desire and inability, sustained by the grammatical fabric of imperfect verbs. Every verb in this verse is in the imperfect tense, creating a cinematic effect: a long-burning resentment that cannot yet ignite into action.
This article explores:
The repeated use of the imperfect tense to express sustained hostility The lexical and emotional nuance of ἐνεῖχεν The contrastive structure ἤθελεν… καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο The narrative pacing and theological reflection embedded in the verbal aspect ἐνεῖχεν αὐτῷ – Grudge with a GripThe verb ἐνεῖχεν is from ἐνέχω, meaning “to hold against,” “to bear a grudge,” or “to be hostile toward.”… Learn Koine Greek
