“This Is the Man!”: Participles, Attributive Phrases, and the Shape of False Accusation

Κράζοντες· ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, βοηθεῖτε· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῦ τόπου τούτου πάντας πανταχοῦ διδάσκων· ἔτι τε καὶ Ἕλληνας εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ κεκοίνωκε τὸν ἅγιον τόπον τοῦτον· (Acts 21:28)

A Tumult of Accusation

Acts 21:28 records a dramatic escalation in Jerusalem: the Jewish crowd turns violently against Paul. But it’s not just shouting—it’s a forensically crafted slander. The Greek syntax reveals how accusations are built through participles, appositional phrases, and rhetorical exaggeration, all without a single relative pronoun.

Participial Framing: κράζοντες… διδάσκων

The verse opens with:

  • κράζοντες – present active participle, nominative masculine plural of κράζω, “crying out.” It introduces the crowd’s appeal.
  • διδάσκων – present active participle, masculine singular, attributively modifying ὁ ἄνθρωπος, “the man.”

Together, these participles frame the emotional urgency and accusatory posture of the moment.

Performative Vocative: Ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται, βοηθεῖτε

The rallying cry is grammatically charged:

  • ἄνδρες Ἰσραηλῖται – vocative plural: “Men of Israel!”
  • βοηθεῖτε – present active imperative: “Help!”

This vocative + imperative formula evokes crisis rhetoric — not just a cry for assistance, but a mobilization of national identity.

Demonstrative Drama: οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος

  • οὗτος – emphatic demonstrative: “This one!”
  • ὁ ἄνθρωπος – the man.

The syntax mirrors judicial scenes: “This is the man!” is not just identification; it’s a declaration of guilt before trial.

Attributive Participle, Not Relative Clause

ὁ κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τοῦ τόπου τούτου πάντας πανταχοῦ διδάσκων

This is not a relative clause (there’s no ὅς), but a string of genitive complements and accusatives governed by an attributive participle:

  • ὁ… διδάσκων – “the one who teaches…”
  • κατὰ τοῦ λαοῦ… – “against the people, the law, and this place”
  • πάντας πανταχοῦ – “everyone, everywhere”

This is an attributive participial construction used for rapid characterization. It labels Paul as a universal subversive, not via grammar’s complexity, but its brevity and breadth.

Exaggeration as Strategy: πάντας πανταχοῦ διδάσκων

The combination of:

  • πάντας – accusative plural: “everyone”
  • πανταχοῦ – adverb: “everywhere”

is rhetorical hyperbole — a classic feature in mob accusations. It falsely paints Paul as omnipresent and pervasively dangerous.

The Climax: Ἕλληνας εἰσήγαγεν… κεκοίνωκε

  • εἰσήγαγεν – aorist active: “he brought in”
  • Ἕλληνας – Greeks; the presence of Gentiles is the core charge
  • κεκοίνωκε – perfect active of κοινόω: “he has defiled”
  • τὸν ἅγιον τόπον – “the holy place”

The perfect tense of κεκοίνωκε indicates ongoing pollution — not just a past act, but a lingering defilement. The crowd’s rhetoric leaves no room for restoration.

Table of Syntax and Intent

Greek Phrase Syntactic Role Function Interpretive Insight
κράζοντες Participle (Circumstantial) Sets scene of mob shouting Establishes agitation and noise
οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος Demonstrative + Copula Accusatory declaration Mimics courtroom language
ὁ… διδάσκων Attributive participial phrase Describes the accused Compact but loaded indictment
πάντας πανταχοῦ Accusative noun + adverb Expands scope of accusation Rhetorical exaggeration, not literal
κεκοίνωκε τὸν ἅγιον τόπον Perfect verb + object Declares ongoing defilement Elevates charge to sacrilege

The Grammar of Slander, the Syntax of Salvation

This verse teaches more than Greek—it reveals how language shapes law and theology. The crowd weaponizes participles, demonstratives, and rhetorical amplification to craft a charge that feels irrefutable.

Yet the true irony is this: Paul, accused of polluting the holy place, is actually the vessel of its fulfillment — drawing near not Gentile defilers, but cleansed worshipers in Christ. The lie mimics truth, but its grammar is twisted.

The gospel, by contrast, does not distort syntax — it transfigures it. From slander to proclamation, from accusation to atonement.

Grammar is never neutral. But neither is grace. This verse stands as a monument to both — and a warning that how we speak may reflect whom we serve.

About Greek Insights

Applying Biblical Truth through Greek Understanding. Learning Greek for New Testament exegesis is essential for uncovering the depth and precision of the biblical text. The original Greek language of the New Testament carries nuances, grammatical structures, and wordplays that are often lost or flattened in translation. By engaging directly with the Greek, interpreters gain access to richer theological insights, more accurate contextual understanding, and a clearer grasp of the author’s intent. This linguistic foundation empowers students and teachers of Scripture to apply biblical truth with greater fidelity and depth, bridging the ancient text with contemporary life. In this way, Greek is not merely an academic tool but a vital means of faithfully discerning and communicating the message of the New Testament.
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