The Cry of the Rejected Prophet: A Koine and Classical Greek Comparison of Matthew 23:37

Ἱερουσαλὴμ, Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας, καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν, ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα σου, ὃν τρόπον ἐπισυνάγει ὄρνις τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε;

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you did not want it.

Koine Greek Grammar and Syntax Analysis

• Ἱερουσαλὴμ Ἱερουσαλήμ — Vocative repetition conveys emotion, urgency, and lament. Common in Hebrew rhetoric, preserved in Koine Greek.
• ἡ ἀποκτέννουσα… λιθοβολοῦσα — Present active participles in apposition to Ἱερουσαλὴμ. Feminine singular nominative; characterizing the subject: “the one who kills… and stones…”
• τοὺς προφήτας… τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους — Accusative plural objects of the participles. ἀπεσταλμένους is perfect passive participle: “those having been sent.”
• πρὸς αὐτήν — Prepositional phrase: “to her,” referring to Jerusalem.
• ποσάκις — Interrogative adverb: “how often.” Emphasizes repeated desire.
• ἠθέλησα — Aorist active indicative, 1st person singular of θέλω: “I wanted.” Past volition, expressing lamented intent.
• ἐπισυναγαγεῖν — Aorist active infinitive from ἐπισυνάγω: “to gather together.” Complement of ἠθέλησα.
• τὰ τέκνα σου — Accusative object of the infinitive: “your children.” Refers metaphorically to the people of Jerusalem.
• ὃν τρόπον — Idiomatic expression meaning “in the manner that…”; introduces the simile.
• ὄρνις… ἐπισυνάγει — ὄρνις is nominative feminine singular: “hen.” Present active indicative: “gathers.” Ongoing, habitual action.
• τὰ νοσσία ἑαυτῆς — “Her chicks.” νοσσίον = young bird; diminutive. ἑαυτῆς is reflexive genitive feminine singular.
• ὑπὸ τὰς πτέρυγας — Preposition ὑπό + accusative for motion: “under her wings.”
• καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε — Aorist active indicative, 2nd person plural: “and you did not want.” Direct contrast with divine initiative.

Comparison with Classical Greek Usage

• Vocative repetition — Ἱερουσαλὴμ Ἱερουσαλήμ echoes Hebrew poetry and Semitic lament forms. In Classical Greek, vocative repetition is rare and more common in tragic chorus than prose.
• Participle chains — Classical Greek might break ἀποκτέννουσα… λιθοβολοῦσα into a relative clause or use finite verbs. Koine prefers compressed descriptive chains.
• ποσάκις ἠθέλησα… καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε — Juxtaposition of first- and second-person volition is rhetorically powerful. Classical authors might render such contrast more subtly, e.g., through indirect speech or deliberative mood.
• ὄρνις simile — Animal comparisons (especially maternal) are rare in Classical prose outside fables. This image is vivid and emotional, characteristic of Koine’s appeal to lived, human experience.
• ἐπισυναγεῖν… τὰ τέκνα — ἐπισυνάγω is rare in Classical Greek and mostly used of troop assembly. In Koine, it gains relational and protective nuance.

Semantic and Stylistic Shifts

• Maternal metaphor for God’s love — The hen/chick simile is theologically radical and emotionally intimate. Such tenderness is nearly absent from Classical Greek portrayals of gods or rulers.
• Direct emotional address — Koine uses repeated vocatives and blunt second-person verbs (οὐκ ἠθελήσατε) to confront the audience. Classical tone tends to be more reserved or indirect.
• Thematic irony — Jerusalem, the holy city, becomes the killer of prophets. This reversal is frontloaded in Koine syntax, but Classical rhetoric might delay the punch with elaborate periodic structure.
• Rhetorical compactness — Koine packs participles, infinitives, and similes into a single flowing lament. Classical Greek would favor balance and varied clause types for aesthetic symmetry.

Koine and Classical Comparison Table