-
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
-
Category
Category Archives: Exegesis
To Be Seen: Infinitive Purpose and Public Display in Matthew 23:5
Πάντα δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ποιοῦσι πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, πλατύνουσι γὰρ τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν καὶ μεγαλύνουσι τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἰματίων αὐτῶν, (Matthew 23:5)
Doing Religion to Be Watched
Matthew 23:5 comes from Jesus’ rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees for their performative religiosity. The verse is a grammatical snapshot of ostentatious piety: they do works not for God, but πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις — “to be seen by men.”
Jesus exposes their inner motives through Greek constructions, including:
– A purpose clause with the articular infinitive – Present active verbs expressing habitual, ongoing action – A revealing use of the accusative neuter plural to show totality – Object elaboration through accusative noun phrases with possessive pronouns
Let’s examine the grammar through a detailed table.… Learn Koine Greek
Of Greetings and Titles: The Craving for Honor in Matthew 23:7
Matthew 23:7 is part of Jesus’ powerful denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees — a chapter known for its “woes.” In the opening verses, Jesus exposes the gap between their public religious performance and their private hypocrisy. Verse 7 continues the list of behaviors that reveal their desire for prominence, focusing here on how they seek recognition both socially and religiously. The syntax is deceptively simple but rich with theological irony.
Structural Analysisκαὶ τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ καλεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ῥαββὶ ῥαββί.
This verse consists of two parallel desires: (1) τοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς — “the greetings in the marketplaces” and (2) καλεῖσθαι…ῥαββὶ ῥαββί — “to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’”… Learn Koine Greek
Life Beyond Letters: A Spirit-Driven Ministry in 2 Corinthians 3:6
Ὃς καὶ ἱκάνωσεν ἡμᾶς διακόνους καινῆς διαθήκης, οὐ γράμματος, ἀλλὰ πνεύματος· τὸ γὰρ γράμμα ἀποκτέννει, τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζῳοποιεῖ. (2 Corinthians 3:6)
Who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Grammatical Layers of EmpowermentPaul’s sentence begins with the relative pronoun ὃς (“who”), linking directly to the preceding verse’s reference to God. The verb ἱκάνωσεν (“made us sufficient”) is an aorist active indicative, signaling a completed act of divine qualification. This verb is central to Paul’s theology of ministry: sufficiency does not come from human credentials or Torah observance but from divine empowerment.… Learn Koine Greek
Not Empty Rules but Love: The Heartbeat of Apostolic Instruction
Τὸ δὲ τέλος τῆς παραγγελίας ἐστὶν ἀγάπη ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας καὶ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς καὶ πίστεως ἀνυποκρίτου, (1 Timothy 1:5)
But the goal of the command is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and sincere faith,
Exegetical AnalysisThe subject τὸ δὲ τέλος (“but the goal”) places emphatic focus on τέλος, a theologically rich term denoting outcome, purpose, or intended result. It stands in contrast to speculative teachings previously mentioned in the context. The genitive phrase τῆς παραγγελίας (“of the command”) modifies τέλος and refers to the apostolic instruction Timothy is entrusted with. The present tense verb ἐστὶν (“is”) serves as the linking verb, indicating a continual, enduring purpose.… Learn Koine Greek
Appointed, Prayed, Entrusted: The Threefold Pattern of Apostolic Oversight
Χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς πρεσβυτέρους κατ’ ἐκκλησίαν καὶ προσευξάμενοι μετὰ νηστειῶν παρέθεντο αὐτοὺς τῷ κυρίῳ, εἰς ὃν πεπιστεύκασι. (Acts 14:23)
Triple Action in Apostolic Church Planting
This compact verse records three major apostolic actions: ordination, prayer with fasting, and entrusting the new leaders to the Lord. Each verb is significant in understanding early church structure and Paul’s ecclesiology.
χειροτονήσαντες (“having appointed”) – an aorist participle indicating the first action completed before the others. προσευξάμενοι (“having prayed”) – another aorist participle, showing sustained dependence on divine guidance. παρέθεντο (“they entrusted”) – the main verb of the clause, reflecting finality and delegation. Grammatical Insightsχειροτονήσαντες is an aorist active participle, nominative masculine plural from χειροτονέω, meaning “to appoint by raising hands” or “to designate.”… Learn Koine Greek
Sharper Than Steel: The Living Word and Its Double Edge
Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διικνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς τε καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας. (Hebrews 4:12)
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than every double-edged sword, penetrating to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Exegetical AnalysisThe sentence opens with arresting asyndeton: Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ — “For the word of God is living.” The adjective ζῶν (present participle of ζάω) functions here adjectivally, not verbally, emphasizing the ongoing vitality of God’s Word.… Learn Koine Greek
Grammar in the Service of Mission: Why Paul Circumcised Timothy
Τοῦτον ἠθέλησεν ὁ Παῦλος σὺν αὐτῷ ἐξελθεῖν, καὶ λαβὼν περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν διὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τοὺς ὄντας ἐν τοῖς τόποις ἐκείνοις· ᾔδεισαν γὰρ ἅπαντες τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ὅτι Ἕλλην ὑπῆρχεν. (Acts 16:3)
Acts 16:3 opens a window into Paul’s apostolic strategy, where syntax, participles, and subordinate clauses become instruments of divine wisdom. Through a fine-grained grammatical study of this verse, we see how Paul adapts without compromising, acts decisively under pressure, and shapes a theological vision through linguistic precision.
The Verb That Leads: ἠθέλησενThe main clause begins with τοῦτον ἠθέλησεν ὁ Παῦλος, a typical word order in Koine narrative that frontloads the object (τοῦτον, “this one”) for emphasis.… Learn Koine Greek
The Captivity of Ideas: A Warning Against False Frameworks
Βλέπετε μή τις ὑμᾶς ἔσται ὁ συλαγωγῶν διὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ κενῆς ἀπάτης, κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, κατὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου καὶ οὐ κατὰ Χριστόν· (Colossians 2:8)
See to it that no one will be the one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
Guarding the Mind Against Subtle CaptorsIn Colossians 2:8, Paul issues a vigilant warning with the present imperative Βλέπετε – “Watch out,” or “Be on guard.” The command is directed to the entire community (ὑμᾶς, plural “you”) and demands continual attentiveness.… Learn Koine Greek
We Found This Man: Participles of Accusation in the Trial of Jesus
Ἤρξαντο δὲ κατηγορεῖν αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· τοῦτον εὕρομεν διαστρέφοντα τὸ ἔθνος καὶ κωλύοντα Καίσαρι φόρους διδόναι, λέγοντα ἑαυτὸν Χριστὸν βασιλέα εἶναι. (Luke 23:2)
And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
The Opening Accusation: Legal Framing and Participial PrecisionLuke 23:2 presents the fabricated charges brought against Jesus before Pontius Pilate. The religious leaders transition from theological opposition to political accusation. Their language is carefully crafted to stir Roman concern. But in the Greek, Luke lays bare the structure of the lie: a series of accusatory participles anchored to the verb εὕρομεν (“we found”).… Learn Koine Greek
What Is Man? Interrogatives and Subjunctives in Hebrews 2:6
διεμαρτύρατο δὲ πού τις λέγων· τί ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος ὅτι μιμνήσκῃ αὐτοῦ, ἢ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ὅτι ἐπισκέπτῃ αὐτόν; (Hebrews 2:6)
The Echo of Wonder in Precise Greek Form
In Hebrews 2:6, the author introduces a citation that carries both literary reverence and theological astonishment. The syntax is shaped by two rhetorical questions—quoted from Psalm 8—that explore the mystery of God’s mindfulness toward humanity. But this verse is not merely poetic; it is constructed with linguistic precision that frames divine condescension in Koine Greek elegance.
This article explores:
The impersonal introduction διεμαρτύρατο δὲ πού τις λέγων The use of interrogative particles τί and conjunction ὅτι in embedded questions The significance of the subjunctive verbs μιμνήσκῃ and ἐπισκέπτῃ διεμαρτύρατο δὲ πού τις λέγων – A Formal but Vague CitationThe phrase διεμαρτύρατο δὲ πού τις λέγων introduces the quotation.… Learn Koine Greek
