Καὶ ἐὰν ἀπολύσω αὐτοὺς νήστεις εἰς οἶκον αὐτῶν, ἐκλυθήσονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ· τινὲς γὰρ αὐτῶν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἥκασι. (Mark 8:3)
And if I send them away hungry to their home, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from far away.
This verse reveals Yeshuʿ’s deep compassion for the crowd following Him. It’s not just a logistical concern—it’s a pastoral heart recognizing human limitation and hunger.
Koine Greek Breakdown
This sentence showcases conditional syntax, passive voice, and a blend of future consequence with narrative reflection.
- Third-Class Conditional: ἐὰν ἀπολύσω (“if I send away”) — subjunctive protasis
- Future Passive: ἐκλυθήσονται — “they will be faint/exhausted”
- Perfect Indicative: ἥκασι — “they have come” (present result of a past action)
- Participles and Adverbs: νήστεις (“fasting/hungry”), ἀπὸ μακρόθεν (“from afar”)
Try parsing “ἀπολύσω”
Aorist Active Subjunctive, 1st Person Singular — “I might send away.”
Classical Greek Comparison
In Attic Classical Greek, a similar thought would likely be expressed using more formal participial structures and greater precision in conditional construction.
κἂν ἀπολύσω αὐτοὺς νηστεῖς εἰς οἶκον, ἐκλύσονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ· τινὲς γὰρ αὐτῶν πόρρωθεν ἥκασιν.
- κἂν (καὶ ἐάν): A more compressed Classical form of the conditional conjunction
- νηστεῖς: Classical spelling variant of νήστεις (adjective use for “fasting”)
- πόρρωθεν: Preferred Classical adverb for “from far away” instead of Koine ἀπὸ μακρόθεν
Think Like a Philologist: Why might a Classical author prefer “πόρρωθεν” over “ἀπὸ μακρόθεν”?
Suggested Answer
πόρρωθεν is more idiomatic and compact in Classical usage, avoiding the Koine prepositional phrase and favoring native adverbial expressions typical of Attic prose.
Semantic and Stylistic Shifts
Koine Greek is empathetic and narratively fluid—mirroring a speaker’s concern. In Classical Greek, the same idea might sound like a deliberative argument: more structured, perhaps even detached.
Koine is the tone of a shepherd’s worry; Classical is the tone of a general planning troop movements.
Cultural Insight
Mark’s Koine blends orality with immediacy. In a world of travel on foot and scarce food, fainting “on the way” was a real and imminent danger.
Summary Comparison Table
| Koine Usage | Classical Usage | Learner Takeaways |
|---|---|---|
| ἐὰν ἀπολύσω | κἂν ἀπολύσω | Classical compresses conjunctions for rhythm; Koine prefers full forms. |
| νήστεις | νηστεῖς | Spelling variation — both mean “fasting,” but spelling reflects era and dialect. |
| ἀπὸ μακρόθεν | πόρρωθεν | Koine uses prepositional phrases; Classical prefers compact adverbs. |
Glossary
- Third-Class Condition: A condition with ἐάν + subjunctive, often expressing real or probable future events.
- Aorist Subjunctive: Used in protasis of third-class conditions; expresses a simple action.
- Perfect Indicative: Indicates a completed action with present results (e.g., ἥκασι = “they have arrived”).
- Passive Voice: Indicates the subject receives the action (e.g., ἐκλυθήσονται = “they will be fainted”).
- Participles: Verbal adjectives; here, νήστεις = “being hungry.”
