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Greek Lessons
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Category Archives: Theology
Judgment of the Rebels: Grammar and Imagery in Jude 6
Ἀγγέλους τε τοὺς μὴ τηρήσαντας τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ ἀπολιπόντας τὸ ἴδιον οἰκητήριον εἰς κρίσιν μεγάλης ἡμέρας δεσμοῖς ἀϊδίοις ὑπὸ ζόφον τετήρηκεν (Jude 6)
And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—he has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.
Jude 6 paints a vivid, almost apocalyptic picture of divine judgment. The Greek grammar is dense and carefully layered: participles build a charge, prepositions stack with intensity, and a perfect verb holds the entire scene in place. These fallen angels aren’t described with flourish—they’re bound in theological precision.
Grammatical FoundationsThe main subject is ἀγγέλους—“angels”—with the particle τε linking it back to previous examples of judgment.… Learn Koine Greek
Bondage Before Adoption: A Grammatical and Theological Study of Galatians 4:3
Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι· (Galatians 4:3)
So also we, when we were children, were enslaved under the elemental things of the world.
This verse forms a key component in Paul’s allegorical and theological argument regarding spiritual maturation and redemptive transition in Galatians 3–4. Paul constructs a conceptual analogy between the experience of Israel under the Mosaic Law and that of minors under guardianship (cf. Gal. 4:1–2). Galatians 4:3 distills this analogy into a theological axiom: before the coming of Christ, humanity—Jew and possibly Gentile alike—was in a state of spiritual immaturity and bondage to the “elemental things of the world” (τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου).… Learn Koine Greek
Found Faithful: Divine Expectations and Grammatical Precision in 1 Corinthians 4:2
Ὃ δὲ λοιπὸν ζητεῖται ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις, ἵνα πιστός τις εὑρεθῇ. (1 Corinthians 4:2)
Moreover, what is required in stewards is that one be found faithful.
Faithfulness as a Steward’s Mark: Literary and Theological Context of 1 Corinthians 4:2This compact but theologically rich verse falls within Paul’s defense of his apostolic ministry in 1 Corinthians 4:1–5. Here, he depicts himself and other apostles not as celebrities or philosophers but as οἰκονόμοι—household stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God (v. 1). Verse 2 functions as a general principle flowing from this metaphor: the primary requirement for a steward is fidelity. This seemingly straightforward sentence introduces complex grammatical and theological features: the impersonal verb ζητεῖται, the articular participial phrase τοῖς οἰκονόμοις, the subjunctive clause ἵνα πιστὸς τις εὑρεθῇ, and the divine passive εὑρεθῇ.… Learn Koine Greek
Authority Through the Lord: A Grammatical and Theological Study of 1 Thessalonians 4:2
Οἴδατε γὰρ τίνας παραγγελίας ἐδώκαμεν ὑμῖν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. (1 Thessalonians 4:2)
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
This verse belongs to the paraenetic section of 1 Thessalonians, where Paul transitions from thanksgiving and encouragement to exhortations for holy living (1 Thess. 4:1–12). The letter, considered one of Paul’s earliest, emphasizes the authority of apostolic instruction as grounded not merely in human tradition but in divine command through Jesus Christ. Verse 2, in particular, underscores this by referencing παραγγελίας (commands/instructions) as mediated διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. This construction provides a rich opportunity to examine the grammar of indirect command, the function of the relative pronoun τίνας, and the theological significance of agency expressed through the preposition διά.… Learn Koine Greek
The Grammar of Humility: Jesus’ Arrival in Matthew 3:13
Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ
Matthew’s language is quiet but deliberate. Jesus doesn’t declare, explain, or teach here—he simply comes. The grammar, though, speaks volumes. Every verb, preposition, and infinitive pulls the reader toward something deeply intentional: submission, purpose, and movement into God’s unfolding plan.
Grammatical FoundationsThe verb παραγίνεται is in the present tense, though the context is clearly past. This is the historical present—a storytelling technique that draws the reader in. Jesus comes from Galilee, not “came,” making the action vivid, almost cinematic. It makes the reader pause and watch him arrive.… Learn Koine Greek
Greek Verbal Nuance, Syntax, and Semantic Tension in John 21:16
Λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν δεύτερον· Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με; Λέγει αὐτῷ· ναί κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. Λέγει αὐτῷ· ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου.
He says to him again, a second time, Simon son of Jonah, do you love me? He says to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He says to him, Shepherd my sheep.
IntroductionJohn 21:16 is the second of three similar yet subtly distinct exchanges between Jesus and Simon Peter following the resurrection. This verse provides a rich example of verbal aspect, synonym usage, and layered Greek syntax. The linguistic elements in this passage—particularly the alternation between ἀγαπᾷς and φιλῶ—invite scholarly discussion of lexical semantics, pragmatic implications, and Johannine style.… Learn Koine Greek
“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
