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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
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Category
Category Archives: Theology
The Subjunctive Mood in New Testament Greek
The subjunctive mood in New Testament Greek expresses potential, intention, or contingency rather than factual reality, distinguishing it from the indicative mood. Formed from present or aorist stems with primary endings, it appears only in the present and aorist tenses and includes both active and middle/passive forms. The subjunctive is most often used in subordinate clauses, such as purpose clauses introduced by ἵνα (“that”), conditional clauses with ἐάν (“if”), and temporal clauses with ὅταν (“when”), as well as in hortatory expressions (“let us…”) and prohibitions (μὴ + aorist subjunctive). For example, in 1 John 2:1, the phrases ἵνα μὴ ἁμάρτητε (“that you may not sin”) and ἐάν τις ἁμάρτῃ (“if anyone sins”) illustrate its use in expressing divine intention and conditional possibility.… Learn Koine Greek
Independent and Dependent Clauses in New Testament Greek
In New Testament Greek, sentences are composed of clauses—units containing at least a verb and often a subject—which are either independent (main) or dependent (subordinate). Independent clauses can stand alone and express complete thoughts, often linked by coordinating conjunctions like καί (“and”) or δέ (“but”), as seen in Matthew 7:7. Dependent clauses, introduced by subordinating elements such as ἵνα (“so that”), ὅτι (“because”), or ὅτε (“when”), cannot stand alone and serve to clarify time, purpose, cause, condition, or concession. For example, in 1 John 5:13, the main clause “These things I have written to you” is followed by a purpose clause “so that you may know that you have eternal life.”… Learn Koine Greek
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Infinitives in New Testament Greek: Definition and Function
The infinitive is one of the non-finite verb forms in New Testament Greek, meaning it does not convey person or number and cannot serve as the main verb of a clause. Instead, infinitives function as verbal nouns. They carry verbal characteristics like tense and voice, yet they function syntactically like nouns—serving as subjects, objects, or complements in a sentence. Understanding the infinitive is vital for accurate exegesis, especially in Pauline and Johannine writings, where they often encapsulate purpose, result, or abstract verbal actions.
1. Form of the InfinitiveInfinitives are formed by adding specific endings to the verb stem. The form varies by tense and voice:
Tense Voice Example Translation Present Active λύειν to be loosing Aorist Active λῦσαι to loose Perfect Active λελυκέναι to have loosed Present Middle λύεσθαι to be loosing (oneself) Aorist Middle λύσασθαι to loose (oneself) Perfect Middle/Passive λελύσθαι to have been loosed Aorist Passive λυθῆναι to be loosedNote: The “tense” of the infinitive in Greek refers more to aspect than to time.… Learn Koine Greek
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Greek Grammar Lesson from Acts 12:5
Ὁ μὲν οὖν Πέτρος ἐτηρεῖτο ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ· προσευχὴ δὲ ἦν ἐκτενῶς γινομένη ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. (Acts 12:5)
So then Peter was being kept in the prison, but prayer was being made earnestly by the church to God for him.
This verse contrasts Peter’s confinement with the church’s fervent intercession. The adverb ἐκτενῶς conveys intensity—prayer stretched out, persistent. The imperfect passive ἐτηρεῖτο suggests ongoing custody, while γινομένη (being made) shows continuous prayer.
Focus Topic: Correlative Contrast (μὲν… δὲ) and Periphrastic ImperfectThis verse contrasts Peter’s physical imprisonment with the Church’s spiritual intercession using the μὲν… δὲ construction.… Learn Koine Greek
“Ὥστε… παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν”: Entrusting the Soul in Suffering (1 Peter 4:19)
A Command to the Suffering
1 Peter 4:19 offers final counsel for Christians experiencing unjust suffering:
Ὥστε καὶ οἱ πάσχοντες κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὡς πιστῷ κτίστῃ παρατιθέσθωσαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἐν ἀγαθοποιΐᾳTherefore, those who suffer according to God’s will must entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing good.
This is the only place in the New Testament where God is called κτίστης (“Creator”), and it powerfully links suffering, trust, and ethical persistence.
Morphological Breakdown Ὥστε {hṓste} – Form: conjunction of result or inference; Meaning: “so then,” “therefore”; Usage: draws a conclusion from the previous verses. οἱ πάσχοντες {hoi páschontes} – Form: nominative masculine plural, present active participle from πάσχω; Meaning: “those who are suffering”; Function: subject of the main imperative verb.… Learn Koine GreekEcclesial Identity and Behavioral Mandate in 1 Timothy 3:15: Syntax and Theology in the Household of the Living God
Ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνω, ἵνα εἰδῇς πῶς δεῖ ἐν οἴκῳ Θεοῦ ἀναστρέφεσθαι, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἐκκλησία Θεοῦ ζῶντος, στῦλος καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας. (1 Timothy 3:15)
But if I delay, so that you may know how one ought to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
This verse frames the church not merely as a gathering but as a sacred space, God’s household, with a profound identity as the pillar and foundation of divine truth. The verbs and nouns are carefully chosen to emphasize both behavior and theological structure.… Learn Koine Greek
Buried and Raised with Him: Union with Christ in Colossians 2:12
Συνταφέντες αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι, ἐν ᾧ καὶ συνηγέρθητε διὰ τῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν (Colossians 2:12)
Having been buried together with him in baptism, in which also you were raised together through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12 beautifully captures the believer’s deep identification with Christ in death and resurrection. The Greek structure intertwines burial, resurrection, faith, and divine power into a seamless theological statement. It is one of the clearest expressions of baptism’s symbolic and spiritual significance in the New Testament. This verse expresses union with Christ in both death and resurrection.… Learn Koine Greek
Interrogative Pronouns in Greek: τίς, τί
In the Greek New Testament, the interrogative pronouns τίς and τί serve as linguistic keys that unlock profound theological inquiry and rhetorical depth. These forms—distinguished by their acute accent and declined by case, gender, and number—pose questions not merely of grammar but of existential weight: “Who is this?” “What is truth?” Appearing at pivotal moments in the Gospels, they function as subjects, objects, complements, and even adverbials, often expressing awe, challenge, or divine confrontation. Their presence invites readers into the drama of revelation, where parsing a pronoun becomes an act of theological reflection.
The Nature of the Interrogative PronounThe interrogative pronouns τίς (masculine/feminine) and τί (neuter) are used to ask questions of identity, nature, or quality.… Learn Koine Greek
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Relative Pronouns in Greek: ὅς, ἥ, ὅ
In the tapestry of New Testament Greek, the relative pronouns ὅς, ἥ, and ὅ serve as grammatical threads that bind theology, narrative, and exhortation into seamless expression. These pronouns—agreeing in gender and number with their antecedents and shaped by their syntactic roles—introduce clauses that clarify, describe, or interpret, as seen in passages like John 1:41 and Acts 10:38. Beyond their basic forms, they exhibit syntactic nuance through phenomena like case attraction and compound relatives (e.g., ὅστις), revealing the expressive depth of Greek syntax. Far from incidental, their precise use by authors like John and Paul underpins doctrinal clarity and literary cohesion, making mastery of these small words essential for grasping the inspired architecture of biblical thought.… Learn Koine Greek
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Mutual Glory in Christ: A Theological Doxology from 2 Thessalonians 1:12
Ὅπως ἐνδοξασθῇ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν αὐτῷ, κατὰ τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (2 Thessalonians 1:12)
So that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
In this closing clause of Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians, we encounter one of the most beautifully compact expressions of mutual glorification between Christ and his people. The syntax and vocabulary of the verse draw from rich theological wells—grace, union with Christ, and eschatological hope.… Learn Koine Greek
