Tag Archives: Matthew 1:20

Introduction: Participles and the Mystery of Conception

In Matthew 1:20, the angelic message to Ἰωσὴφ {Iōsēph} delivers the revelation that Μαρίαμ is pregnant, but not by human means. The phrase τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν is central to this divine disclosure. At the heart of the sentence lies a neuter articular participle: γεννηθὲν (“that which has been conceived”), governed by the article τὸ and qualified by the prepositional phrase ἐν αὐτῇ.

This construction is not a casual grammatical flourish—it is a deliberate, theologically packed choice that encapsulates incarnation, divine agency, and mystery. Let’s explore the grammar that conveys this truth.

Ταῦτα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐνθυμηθέντος ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κατ’ ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων· Ἰωσὴφ υἱὸς Δαυὶδ, μὴ φοβηθῇς παραλαβεῖν Μαρίαμ τὴν γυναῖκά σου· τὸ γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ πνεύματος ἐστιν ἁγίου.… Learn Koine Greek