New Testament Greek

At the center of the Pharisees’ concern in John 4:1 is the report that: Ἰησοῦς πλείονας μαθητὰς ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει — “Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples.”

The Greek here uses two coordinated present active indicative verbs to convey ongoing ministry activity. This compound structure emphasizes both personal transformation (discipling) and ritual action (baptizing)—both of which fuel Yeshuʿ’s increasing influence.

Let us now turn to the final element in this richly layered sentence from John 4:1:

ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει — “he is making and baptizing.”… Learn Koine Greek

In John 4:1, a nested series of clauses brings us to the moment of narrative tension: Ὡς οὖν ἔγνω ὁ κύριος ὅτι ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι… “When the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard…”

The clause ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι contains a simple subject-verb construction in the aorist, but it functions as a pivotal narrative report. Theologically, it shows how perception of influence triggers action; grammatically, it reflects a classic example of indirect discourse embedded within another clause.

Let’s now explore the next embedded clause in John 4:1:

ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι — “the Pharisees heard.”… Learn Koine Greek

John 4:1 opens with a report of what the Pharisees have heard: “Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John.” This comparative construction—πλείονας μαθητὰς… ἢ Ἰωάννης—carries both grammatical precision and narrative tension. The focus of this lesson is the adjective πλείονας, the comparative form of πολύς (“many”), and its function in building a theological contrast between Jesus and John the Baptist.

Let us focus on the important comparative construction near the end of John 4:1:

πλείονας μαθητὰς ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει ἢ Ἰωάννης — “[that] Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John.”… Learn Koine Greek

John 4:1 begins with a simple yet weighty statement: “When the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard…” The verb ἔγνω (“he knew”) governs the entire clause. It is not just a past action—it is a grammatical hinge that conveys divine awareness and decisive movement. The use of ὡς οὖν (“therefore when”) introduces both a cause-effect link and temporal flow, setting the stage for Jesus’ departure from Judea.

Let us now examine the opening clause of John 4:1:

Ὡς οὖν ἔγνω ὁ κύριος ὅτι ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι… —“Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard…”

This clause introduces the narrative with a temporal-subordinating construction, beginning with ὡς and incorporating the aorist active indicative verb ἔγνω from γινώσκω (“to know”).… Learn Koine Greek