Tag Archives: Matthew 13:19

The Word on the Path: Participles, Aspect, and the Heart’s Soil in Matthew 13:19

Posted on January 19, 2024 by New Testament Greek
Παντὸς ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ μὴ συνιέντος, ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ αἴρει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς. (Matthew 13:19)

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown beside the path.

Sowing, Hearing, and the Attack on Understanding

In Matthew 13:19, Jesus explains the first part of the parable of the sower—where the seed falls on the path and is snatched away. But the Greek is not merely explanatory; it’s strategic.… Learn Koine Greek

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When the Evil One Comes”: A Study of Ellipsis and Implicit Action in Matthew 13:19

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Advanced Greek Grammar
Παντὸς ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ μὴ συνιέντος, ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ αἴρει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς. (Matthew 13:19)

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; this is the one sown beside the path.

The Parable of the Sower and the Hidden Verb

In Matthew 13:19, Jesus begins to interpret the parable of the sower — explaining what happens to the seed sown along the path. The verse opens with a participial construction that appears complete but contains a subtle grammatical gap:

> “Every one who hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and takes away what was sown in his heart…”

This sentence is elliptical — it omits a finite verb that we instinctively supply based on context.… Learn Koine Greek

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