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Greek Lessons
- The Gift of Tongues as Known Languages: Witness of the Early Church Fathers
- From Jerusalem with Scrutiny: Fronting and Focus in Mark 7:1
- Speaking in Tongues in the Bible
- Grace Beyond Demand: Participles and Imperatives in a Kingdom Ethic
- Reverent Burial and Narrative Simplicity: A Koine and Classical Greek Comparison of Mark 6:29
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Category
Category Archives: Exegesis
Run With Endurance: The Syntax of Perseverance in Hebrews 12:1
Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς, τοσοῦτον ἔχοντες περικείμενον ἡμῖν νέφος μαρτύρων, ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα καὶ τὴν εὐπερίστατον ἁμαρτίαν, δι’ ὑπομονῆς τρέχωμεν τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα,
Therefore, Let Us Run
Hebrews 12:1 is a call to sustained faithfulness, building on the momentum of the preceding chapter’s “hall of faith.” Yet the force of this verse lies not only in its imagery, but in its syntax—layered participles, present subjunctives, and prepositional phrases that shape the believer’s spiritual posture. The structure reveals that perseverance is not passive endurance, but disciplined, active forward movement, made possible by preparation, vision, and determination.
Grammatical Focus: Hortatory Subjunctive and Participial PreparationThe main clause is τρέχωμεν τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα—“let us run the race set before us.”… Learn Koine Greek
Worthy of the Call: Purpose Clauses and Divine Enablement in 2 Thessalonians 1:11
εἰς ὃ καὶ προσευχόμεθα πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἵνα ὑμᾶς ἀξιώσῃ τῆς κλήσεως ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ πληρώσῃ πᾶσαν εὐδοκίαν ἀγαθωσύνης καὶ ἔργον πίστεως ἐν δυνάμει, (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
Praying Toward God’s Purpose
This verse opens a Pauline prayer marked by hopeful intercession and spiritual intention. Paul’s grammar weaves purpose, desire, and divine agency together with subjunctive verbs, infinitive logic, and abstract nouns that embody virtue. The structure frames a powerful theology: God is the one who makes His people worthy and enables them to act in faith and goodness—with power.
εἰς ὃ καὶ προσευχόμεθα πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν – For This We Also Always Pray Concerning You εἰς ὃ – prepositional phrase meaning “for this purpose” or “for this end,” with ὃ referring back to the hope of glorification (v.10) καὶ προσευχόμεθα – present middle indicative, 1st person plural from προσεύχομαι, “we pray” πάντοτε – adverb, “always” περὶ ὑμῶν – “concerning you” (genitive of reference)This is the grounding clause—Paul continually prays with this theological hope in mind.… Learn Koine Greek
The Day of His Glory: Divine Vindication in 2 Thessalonians 1:10
2 Thessalonians 1:10 forms part of Paul’s eschatological encouragement to the persecuted Thessalonian believers (vv. 5–10). The context speaks of divine justice: affliction for the oppressors and relief for the afflicted when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven (v. 7). Verse 10 shifts from judgment to glory — highlighting the revelation of Christ’s majesty “in his saints” and the astonishment he will evoke among all who believed. It is a climactic vision of eschatological hope.
Structural Analysisὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐνδοξασθῆναι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς πιστεύσασιν, ὅτι ἐπιστεύθη τὸ μαρτύριον ἡμῶν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.… Learn Koine Greek
“Why Break My Heart?”: The Resolve of Love in Acts 21:13
Acts 21:13 records Paul’s response to the pleas of believers who, having heard prophetic warnings, begged him not to go to Jerusalem (cf. Acts 21:10–12). Agabus had just foretold that Paul would be bound and delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. This verse is Paul’s deeply emotional but determined reply — revealing the heart of an apostle prepared for suffering and death for the name of Jesus.
Structural Analysisἀπεκρίθη τε ὁ Παῦλος· τί ποιεῖτε κλαίοντες καὶ συνθρύπτοντές μου τὴν καρδίαν; ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐ μόνον δεθῆναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποθανεῖν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἑτοίμως ἔχω ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ.
The verse contains:
An introductory narrative clause: ἀπεκρίθη τε ὁ Παῦλος — “Then Paul answered.”… Learn Koine GreekOverabundant Longing: Participles, Purpose Clauses, and Pastoral Theology in 1 Thessalonians 3:10
νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ δεόμενοι εἰς τὸ ἰδεῖν ὑμῶν τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ καταρτίσαι τὰ ὑστερήματα τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν; (1 Thessalonians 3:10)
The Syntax of Pastoral Burden
In this emotionally charged verse, Paul reveals the unrelenting weight of his apostolic concern. His syntax is not merely informative—it embodies the pastoral heart through grammatical intensity, verbal choice, and structural layering. Every phrase builds toward a deep yearning to complete what is lacking in the faith of the Thessalonians.
This analysis will explore:
The function of the present participle δεόμενοι in sustained supplication The emphatic adverb ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ and its expressive role The articular infinitives εἰς τὸ ἰδεῖν and καταρτίσαι as purpose clauses The theological nuance of τὰ ὑστερήματα τῆς πίστεως Night and Day: A Temporal Framework for PrayerThe verse begins with the genitives νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, an idiom for continuous duration, often inverted from the natural order (day and night) to stress the nocturnal burden of intercession.… Learn Koine Greek
The Crown of Life: Endurance and the Aorist Reward in James 1:12
Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς ὑπομένει πειρασμόν· ὅτι δόκιμος γενόμενος λήψεται τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς, ὃν ἐπηγγείλατο ὁ Κύριος τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν.
Blessing for Those Who Endure
James 1:12 delivers a beatitude not for the comfortable, but for the tested. The structure of this verse is shaped around one central figure: the one who ὑπομένει πειρασμόν—“endures testing.” The reward is stunning: the στέφανος τῆς ζωῆς, “the crown of life,” a metaphor for eternal reward. But this promise unfolds through grammatical nuance, where participial timing, future certainty, and verbal agreement reveal that endurance is not the cause of salvation, but its hallmark and evidence.… Learn Koine Greek
The Sign Refused: Divine Grief and Human Unbelief in Mark 8:12
Mark 8:12 is located in a section where the Pharisees confront Jesus, demanding a sign from heaven to test him (Mark 8:11). The verse you provided is Jesus’ deeply emotional and solemn response. This marks a turning point in the narrative as Jesus increasingly distances himself from those demanding proof and moves toward his passion. His refusal to give a sign is both judgment and lament.
Structural Analysisκαὶ ἀναστενάξας τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ λέγει· τί ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ; ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον.
The verse flows in three movements:
ἀναστενάξας τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ — an inner groaning of grief or exasperation.… Learn Koine GreekThe Will and the Timing: Apollos’ Delay in 1 Corinthians 16:12
1 Corinthians 16:12 appears near the close of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church. After addressing matters of doctrine, ethics, and worship, Paul turns to personal and logistical concerns (ch. 16). In this verse, he explains the situation with Apollos — a respected teacher in Corinth (cf. 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4–6). Some Corinthians evidently wanted Apollos to return. Paul clarifies that while he urged Apollos to visit, Apollos chose not to do so at the present time, intending to come later when opportunity allowed.
Structural AnalysisΠερὶ δὲ Ἀπολλῶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ πολλὰ παρεκάλεσα αὐτὸν ἵνα ἔλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν· καὶ πάντως οὐκ ἦν θέλημα ἵνα νῦν ἔλθῃ, ἐλεύσεται δὲ ὅταν εὐκαιρήσῃ.… Learn Koine Greek
Consider Him: The Syntax of Endurance in Hebrews 12:3
Hebrews 12:3 comes immediately after the famous exhortation to “run with endurance the race set before us” while fixing our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1–2). The verse continues that call to perseverance by urging the audience to reflect on Christ’s endurance in the face of opposition. This reflection is not merely devotional; it is the antidote to spiritual fatigue. In the structure of the epistle, this verse transitions from Christ’s supreme example to practical encouragement for those tempted to give up.
Structural Analysisἀναλογίσασθε γὰρ τὸν τοιαύτην ὑπομεμενηκότα ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἀντιλογίαν, ἵνα μὴ κάμητε ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν ἐκλυόμενοι.… Learn Koine Greek
The Divided I: Party Spirit and Apostolic Allegiance in 1 Corinthians 1:12
1 Corinthians 1:12 expands upon the issue Paul introduces in verse 11 — reports of quarrels among the Corinthian believers. In this verse, he names the source of division: self-identification with different Christian leaders. This seemingly small detail has massive theological and ecclesial implications. As Paul opens his letter to the fractious Corinthian church, he puts his finger on one of the most pervasive spiritual diseases: factionalism under the banner of Christian allegiance.
Structural Analysisλέγω δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἕκαστος ὑμῶν λέγει· ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλώ, ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶ, ἐγὼ δὲ Χριστοῦ.
Paul begins with the clarifying formula λέγω δὲ τοῦτο — “Now I say this,” which signals that he will spell out the problem he just mentioned.… Learn Koine Greek
