Tag Archives: Luke 16:14

Ἤκουον δὲ ταῦτα πάντα οἱ Φαρισαῖοι φιλάργυροι ὑπάρχοντες, καὶ ἐξεμυκτήριζον αὐτόν.

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were hearing all these things, and they were ridiculing him. (Luke 16:14)

How Grammar Discloses Character

Luke 16:14 exposes the reaction of the Pharisees to Jesus’ teachings on money and faithfulness. But this revelation isn’t only in the content—it’s also in the grammar. The participles, pronouns, and declined nouns carry narrative weight. Greek declensions subtly reveal who the Pharisees are and what drives them.

Declension Analysis Table Greek Word Morphology Case & Syntactic Role Notes ταῦτα πάντα Demonstrative + adjective, accusative neuter plural Direct object of ἤκουον “All these things”—refers to Jesus’ prior teaching οἱ Φαρισαῖοι 2nd declension masculine nominative plural noun with article Subject of ἤκουον and ἐξεμυκτήριζον The religious group in view, cast in grammatically definite terms φιλάργυροι 2nd declension masculine nominative plural adjective Predicate adjective modifying οἱ Φαρισαῖοι “Lovers of money”—not incidental, but grammatically attached to their identity ὑπάρχοντες Present participle, nominative masculine plural Circumstantial participle modifying οἱ Φαρισαῖοι “Being” or “existing as” lovers of money—adds a continuous state of character αὐτόν 3rd person singular masculine personal pronoun, accusative Direct object of ἐξεμυκτήριζον Refers to Jesus—“they were ridiculing *him*” Nominative Chain: Layering Identity through Declension

Luke doesn’t simply say, “The Pharisees heard and mocked.”… Learn Koine Greek