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Greek Lessons
- The Grammar of Pleading: Conditional Syntax and Subjunctive Permission in Matthew 8:31
- The Grammar of Silence: Commands, Purpose, and the Messianic Secret
- “What to Us and to You?”: Demonic Recognition and Eschatological Grammar in Matthew 8:29
- Whispers of Identity: From Prophets to Pronouns in Mark 8:28
- The Field of Blood: Passive Voice and Temporal Clauses in Matthew 27:8
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Category
Category Archives: Grammar
“ἵνα φάγωσιν οὗτοι”: Purpose Clause and Aorist Subjunctive in John 6:5
Introduction: Bread for the Multitude
John 6:5 introduces the setting for the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus looks up and sees the crowd approaching:
Ἐπάρας οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ θεασάμενος ὅτι πολὺς ὄχλος ἔρχεται πρὸς αὐτὸν, λέγει πρὸς τὸν Φίλιππον· πόθεν ἀγοράσομεν ἄρτους, ἵνα φάγωσιν οὗτοι;This verse, John 6:5, is full of rich Greek grammar, but let’s focus on the subjunctive purpose clause introduced by ἵνα:
πόθεν ἀγοράσομεν ἄρτους, ἵνα φάγωσιν οὗτοι;
“From where shall we buy bread, so that these may eat?”
The clause ἵνα φάγωσιν οὗτοι contains a classic purpose clause formed with ἵνα plus the aorist subjunctive verb φάγωσιν, with the subject οὗτοι (“these”) in an emphatic position at the end.… Learn Koine Greek
“τοῦ Ἰωανάν, τοῦ Ῥησά…”: Patronymic Genitives and Ellipsis in Luke 3:27
Τοῦ Ἰωανάν, τοῦ Ῥησά, τοῦ Ζοροβάβελ, τοῦ Σαλαθιήλ, τοῦ Νηρί (Luke 3:27)
A Lineage Without Verbs
In Luke 3:23–38, the evangelist presents the genealogy of Jesus in reverse, going from Jesus all the way back to Adam. Each generation is presented in a minimalist formula:
τοῦ [Name] — “of [Name]”
Our focus here is on this segment: τοῦ Ἰωανάν, τοῦ Ῥησά, τοῦ Ζοροβάβελ, τοῦ Σαλαθιήλ, τοῦ Νηρί
All five names are in the genitive singular masculine and preceded by the article τοῦ. The grammar functions anaphorically and patronymically—meaning each τοῦ + name refers to the father of the previous individual in the list.… Learn Koine Greek
“ἐξετίθετο”: The Imperfect Middle of Reasoned Defense in Acts 11:4
Ἀρξάμενος δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἐξετίθετο αὐτοῖς καθεξῆς, λέγων· (Acts 11:4)
But Peter, having begun, began to explain to them in order, saying,
Unfolding the AccountThe main verb here is ἐξετίθετο, from ἐκτίθημι, meaning “to set forth, to explain, to lay out systematically.” The imperfect middle indicative form is rich with nuance, portraying continuous, personal, and deliberate exposition. Luke employs this verb in settings that involve careful explanation, reasoned defense, or theological instruction.
Morphological and Semantic Breakdown ἐξετίθετο – Root: ἐκτίθημι ; Form: imperfect middle indicative, 3rd person singular; Tense: imperfect (past, ongoing action); Voice: middle (emphasizes the subject’s engagement in the act); Mood: indicative (factual); Translation: “he was explaining,” “he laid out.”… Learn Koine Greek“Ἀρξάμενος… ἐξετίθετο”: Participial Introduction and Imperfect Exposition in Acts 11:4
Ἀρξάμενος δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἐξετίθετο αὐτοῖς καθεξῆς, λέγων·
But Peter, having begun, explained to them in order, saying,
Here, we’ll examine the aorist middle participle ἀρξάμενος and how it works with the imperfect middle verb ἐξετίθετο, along with the adverb καθεξῆς. This construction is a classic example of narrative initiation in Greek storytelling—where a main action is preceded by a temporal participle that adds flow, continuity, and emphasis.
Peter Begins to SpeakActs 11:4 sets the stage for Peter’s explanatory defense before the Jerusalem believers:
Ἀρξάμενος δὲ ὁ Πέτρος ἐξετίθετο αὐτοῖς καθεξῆς, λέγων·
“But Peter, having begun, explained to them in order, saying,…”
This combination of aorist participle + imperfect main verb is a standard literary pattern in narrative Greek.… Learn Koine Greek
“οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον”: Aorist Negation and Reflexive Emphasis in Matthew 25:3
Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον. (Matthew 25:3)
Introduction: What They Failed to Bring
The final clause in this verse exposes the foolish virgins’ core mistake: οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον — “they did not take oil with themselves.”
The verb ἔλαβον {elabon} is aorist active, and the phrase μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν is a reflexive dative with preposition, highlighting not just absence, but the absence-in-context: they brought lamps, but no oil along with them. The sentence structure masterfully captures the appearance of readiness without inner provision.
Let us explore the final clause of Matthew 25:3:
οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον — “they did not take oil with themselves.”… Learn Koine Greek
“λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν”: Aorist Participial Sequence in Matthew 25:3
Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον. (Matthew 25:3)
Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with themselves.
Introduction: What They Took—And What They Didn’tHere we focus on the participial clause λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν—a grammatically elegant way to show sequence and preparation. This action, though correct on the surface, becomes the setup for what was lacking. The participle describes temporal precedence: what they did before failing to take oil.
λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν — “having taken their lamps.”
This is a classic example of a temporal aorist participial construction in Greek.… Learn Koine Greek
“Αἵτινες μωραὶ…”: Indefinite Relative Classification in Matthew 25:3
Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον. (Matthew 25:3)
Those who were foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them.
Introduction: Those Who Were FoolishIn Matthew 25:3, part of Jesus’ parable of the Ten Virgins, the foolish group is introduced with the phrase: Αἵτινες μωραὶ, λαβοῦσαι τὰς λαμπάδας αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβον μεθ’ ἑαυτῶν ἔλαιον.
The use of αἵτινες instead of the regular relative αἵ gives the clause a classifying tone, functioning like “such as were foolish.” Grammatically, it creates a restrictive and descriptive clause that labels this subgroup of virgins and signals their defining characteristic: lack of preparation.… Learn Koine Greek
“ἐγένετο” as Divine Narrative Marker: The Aorist Middle in John 2:1
Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ ἦν ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐκεῖ. (John 2:1)
And on the third day, a wedding took place in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
John 2:1 opens the narrative of the wedding at Kana with a subtle but theologically rich description. For this lesson, we’ll focus on the aorist middle indicative form ἐγένετο (“there was” or “it happened”), a verb that often signals narrative transition, divine appointment, or the unfolding of significant events in Johannine literature.
Introduction: The Beginning of SignsJohn 2:1 begins with an event introduction: “Καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ γάμος ἐγένετο”—“And on the third day there was a wedding.”… Learn Koine Greek
Greek Grammar Lesson from John 3:16
Οὕτω γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ’ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. (John 3:16)
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Focus Topic: The ἵνα-Clause and the Subjunctive MoodThis verse presents a powerful example of the use of ἵνα introducing a purpose/result clause followed by two verbs in the subjunctive mood. This structure is both grammatically elegant and theologically rich.
Explanation of the Subjunctive MoodIn Koine Greek, the subjunctive mood expresses possibility, intention, or result.… Learn Koine Greek
No One Annuls or Adds: Greek Grammar and the Inviolability of a Covenant
Ἀδελφοί, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω· ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ ἢ ἐπιδιατάσσεται (Galatians 3:15)
“Brothers, I speak according to human terms: even a human covenant, once ratified, no one nullifies or adds to.”
In this introductory statement to a deeper argument on the Abrahamic promise, Paul appeals to a human analogy. The Greek in Galatians 3:15 — Ἀδελφοί, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω· ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ ἢ ἐπιδιατάσσεται — uses legal vocabulary, perfect participles, and third-person indicatives to argue that even human covenants, once ratified, are considered binding. Paul’s logic is grammatical as well as theological: if human agreements are permanent, how much more God’s covenant with Abraham?… Learn Koine Greek
