“Lord, Lord!”: Dative Instruments, Rhetorical Questions, and the Syntax of False Assurance

Πολλοὶ ἐροῦσίν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, κύριε κύριε, οὐ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι προεφητεύσαμεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δαιμόνια ἐξεβάλομεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δυνάμεις πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν; (Matthew 7:22) The Day of Reckoning in Syntax

Matthew 7:22 depicts a haunting scene at the final judgment. Many claim supernatural deeds in Jesus’ name, but are ultimately disowned. The Greek grammar intensifies the scene through instrumental datives, rhetorical inversion, and a series of parallel clauses that simulate escalating urgency. This is not only a warning — it’s a masterclass in how grammar mirrors theology.

Πολλοὶ ἐροῦσίν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ: The Judgment Frame Temporal Context:

– ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ: “on that day” — a standard eschatological phrase referring to the final judgment – The demonstrative ἐκείνῃ (feminine dative sg.)… Learn Koine Greek

Posted in Grammar, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

If It Touches and Eats: Conditional Clauses and the Syntax of Sacred Separation

Καὶ ψυχή ἣ ἂν ἅψηται παντὸς πράγματος ἀκαθάρτου ἢ ἀπὸ ἀκαθαρσίας ἀνθρώπου ἢ τῶν τετραπόδων τῶν ἀκαθάρτων ἢ παντὸς βδελύγματος ἀκαθάρτου καὶ φάγῃ ἀπὸ τῶν κρεῶν τῆς θυσίας τοῦ σωτηρίου ὅ ἐστιν κυρίου ἀπολεῖται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς (Leviticus 7:21 LXX) A Law of Boundaries

Leviticus 7:21 LXX sets strict boundaries around ritual purity and participation in sacred meals. The verse’s intricate Greek syntax reflects its seriousness: it is a finely structured conditional law, involving relative clauses, modal particles, and a strong apodosis of judgment. The syntax does not merely prohibit — it guards the holiness of the covenant community.… Learn Koine Greek

Posted in Septuagint Greek | Tagged | Leave a comment

Fifteen Cubits Above: Passive Elevation and the Grammar of Submersion

Δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν πάντα τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλά (Genesis 7:20 LXX) Overview: The Flood’s Final Reach

Genesis 7:20 LXX captures the climax of divine judgment in the flood narrative — the point at which even the highest mountains vanish beneath the rising waters. This brief but potent verse is constructed with precision of measurement, a divine passive, and a telling combination of accusative objects that mark the totality of submersion.

Δέκα πέντε πήχεις ἐπάνω ὑψώθη τὸ ὕδωρ: Passive Elevation Beyond Earth Literal Rendering:

“Fifteen cubits above the water was raised.”

Grammatical Components:

– δέκα πέντε πήχεις: “fifteen cubits” — accusative plural, measurement of length – ἐπάνω: “above” — functioning adverbially, denoting vertical distance – ὑψώθη: aorist passive indicative, 3rd person singular, from ὑψόω (“to lift up, raise”) – τὸ ὕδωρ: nominative subject — “the water”

Syntax and Semantics:

– Though δέκα πέντε πήχεις appears first, it modifies the verb ὑψώθη by indicating the degree of elevation.… Learn Koine Greek

Posted in Septuagint Greek, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Coming One or Another? Participles, Pronouns, and Prophetic Tension

Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ὁ Ἰωάννης ἔπεμψε πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν λέγων· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν; (Luke 7:19) The Prophet’s Inquiry: A Sentence of Sacred Hesitation

Luke 7:19 captures a moment of profound suspense: John the Baptist, once the confident forerunner, now sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus a direct and daring question. But this is no ordinary query. Its construction in the Greek reveals layers of theological nuance and grammatical precision that both preserve and portray the tension between expectation and revelation.

Background Action: Aorist Middle Participle in Focus

The verse opens with the participial phrase: Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος δύο τινὰς τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ “And having called to himself two certain ones of his disciples”

The key participle προσκαλεσάμενος is parsed as:

Tense: Aorist — the action is completed and punctiliar.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Exegesis | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Waters Took Dominion: Imperfect Verbs and the Theology of Rising Judgment

Καὶ ἐπεκράτει τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐπληθύνετο σφόδρα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπεφέρετο ἡ κιβωτὸς ἐπάνω τοῦ ὕδατος (Genesis 7:18 LXX) A Triple Ascent in the Flood Narrative

Genesis 7:18 LXX presents the crescendo of the flood: rising water, multiplying force, and the ark lifted from the earth. The verse is a rhythmic triplet of imperfect verbs, each building a sense of motion, dominance, and theological weight. The grammar does more than describe — it carries the narrative upward.

Imperfect Verbs of Motion and Continuity

All three main verbs are imperfect indicatives, conveying continuous or progressive action in the past — fitting for a scene where increase, expansion, and floating define the visual frame.… Learn Koine Greek

Posted in Septuagint Greek, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

Walk as You Were Called: Divine Allotment and Apostolic Order in 1 Corinthians 7:17

Εἰ μὴ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ἐμέρισεν ὁ Θεός, ἕκαστον ὡς κέκληκεν ὁ κύριος, οὕτως περιπατείτω. καὶ οὕτως ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις πάσαις διατάσσομαι. (1 Corinthians 7:17) The Grammar of Calling and Distribution

Paul’s pastoral instruction in 1 Corinthians 7:17 unfolds a theological imperative grounded in divine sovereignty and ecclesial order. This single verse reveals a surprising depth through the use of two aorist verbs — ἐμέρισεν (“He has assigned”) and κέκληκεν (“He has called”) — alongside a present imperative, περιπατείτω (“let him walk”). The structure forms a bridge between what God has done and what each person must do in response.

εἰ μὴ ἑκάστῳ ὡς ἐμέρισεν ὁ Θεός

This initial clause functions as an exception clause modifying Paul’s general exhortation.… Learn Koine Greek

Posted in Exegesis, Grammar, Theology | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Great Prophet Has Arisen: Aorist Passives and Divine Visitation in Luke 7:16

Ἔλαβε δὲ φόβος πάντας, καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν Θεὸν, λέγοντες· ὅτι προφήτης μέγας ἐγήγερται ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο ὁ Θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ. (Luke 7:16) Holy Fear and Heavenly Grammar

Luke 7:16 captures the aftermath of a resurrection miracle: a holy fear grips the crowd, and their declaration of praise reflects both theological awe and grammatical richness. The sentence gives us two key aorist passive verbs that form the backbone of their proclamation: ἐγήγερται (“has been raised”) and ἐπεσκέψατο (“has visited”).

Verb Voice and Revelation

Let’s break down these two verbs:

ἐγήγερται – Perfect Passive of ἐγείρω. This highlights that the prophet’s raising (or “being raised up”) is not just past, but has abiding significance.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Grammar | Tagged | Leave a comment

Inside Out: The Verb Morphology of Mark 7:15

Οὐδέν ἐστιν ἔξωθεν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰσπορευόμενον εἰς αὐτὸν ὃ δύναται αὐτὸν κοινῶσαι, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐκπορευόμενά ἐστι τὰ κοινοῦντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον. (Mark 7:15)

There is nothing outside the person going into him that is able to defile him, but the things coming out are what defile the person.

Five Verbs in a Paradigm Shift

This radical declaration by Yeshua reframes purity and uncleanness—not as external ceremonial contamination, but as internal corruption. His words turn the purity laws inward through the morphology of five verbs:

ἐστιν — present indicative of being (“is”) εἰσπορευόμενον — present middle/passive participle (“going into”) δύναται — present middle/passive indicative (“is able”) ἐκπορευόμενά — present middle/passive participle (“coming out”) κοινοῦντα — present active participle (“defiling”)

Each verb is carefully chosen to contrast inward reception with outward emission—redefining the locus of purity.… Learn Koine Greek

Posted in Verbal System | Tagged | Leave a comment

Boasting and Integrity: A Koine and Classical Greek Comparison of 2 Corinthians 7:14

Ὅτι εἴ τι αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν κεκαύχημαι, οὐ κατῃσχύνθην, ἀλλ’ ὡς πάντα ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἐλαλήσαμεν ὑμῖν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ καύχησις ἡμῶν ἡ ἐπὶ Τίτου ἀλήθεια ἐγενήθη. (2 Corinthians 7:14)

For if I have boasted anything to him about you, I was not put to shame; but just as everything we said to you was in truth, so also our boasting to Titus proved to be true.

Koine Greek Grammar and Syntax Analysis ὅτι — Causal conjunction: “for,” introducing the reason for the previous statement. εἴ τι… κεκαύχημαι — Conditional clause: εἴ + aorist or perfect. κεκαύχημαι is perfect middle/passive indicative, 1st person singular of καυχάομαι: “I have boasted.”… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Ancient Greek | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Narrow Gate and the Broad Way: A Koine and Classical Greek Comparison of Matthew 7:13

Εἰσέλθατε διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης· ὅτι πλατεῖα ἡ πύλη καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εἰσερχόμενοι δι’ αὐτῆς· (Matthew 7:13)

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious the road that leads to destruction, and many are those entering through it.

Koine Greek Grammar and Syntax Analysis Εἰσέλθατε — Aorist active imperative, 2nd person plural of εἰσέρχομαι: “Enter!” Command form stressing decisive action. διὰ τῆς στενῆς πύλης — Preposition διὰ with genitive: “through the narrow gate.” στενῆς is genitive feminine singular adjective modifying πύλης. ὅτι — Conjunction meaning “for” or “because,” introducing the reason or explanation for the imperative.… Learn Koine Greek
Posted in Ancient Greek | Tagged | Leave a comment