Καὶ εἰ ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὴν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν. (Matthew 5:30)
And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you. For it is better for you that one of your members perish than that your whole body be cast into Gehenna.
The Radical Language of Discipleship
Matthew 5:30 belongs to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus intensifies the law’s demands by addressing the heart as much as the hand. The verse reads: “And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you that one of your members should perish than for your whole body to be thrown into Gehenna.” The grammar of the passage reflects both the rhetorical shock of hyperbole and the logical precision of conditional and purpose clauses. Examining the conditional structure, the imperatives, and the verbs of loss and judgment uncovers how Jesus uses grammar to demand uncompromising allegiance to righteousness.
The Conditional Clause
The verse opens with a third-class conditional construction: καὶ εἰ ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ σκανδαλίζει σε — “and if your right hand causes you to stumble.” The conjunction εἰ introduces the hypothetical scenario. The present tense verb σκανδαλίζει emphasizes ongoing potential to cause stumbling, not a one-time event. By specifying the “right hand” (ἡ δεξιά σου χείρ), the verse heightens the imagery: the right hand, typically associated with strength and honor, symbolizes what is most valuable. The conditional clause sets up the demand for radical action.
The Imperatives of Action
- ἔκκοψον — “cut it off”: aorist active imperative, 2nd singular of ἐκκόπτω. The aorist imperative conveys decisive, once-for-all action.
- βάλε — “throw it away”: aorist active imperative, 2nd singular of βάλλω. Again, the aorist stresses a definitive act, not hesitation or gradual removal.
Together, the imperatives form a rhetorical command for decisive separation from sin. Jesus’ hyperbolic language underscores the seriousness of moral purity, rather than advocating literal mutilation.
The Reason Clause: συμφέρει γάρ σοι
The phrase συμφέρει γάρ σοι — “for it is better for you” — introduces the rationale. The verb συμφέρω (literally “to bring together, to be advantageous”) is used impersonally here, stressing pragmatic wisdom. The grammar frames obedience not as arbitrary restriction but as what truly benefits the disciple. Losing something valuable is preferable to eternal ruin.
The Purpose Clause: ἵνα ἀπόληται
The construction ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου — “that one of your members should perish” — uses ἵνα with the aorist middle subjunctive ἀπόληται (from ἀπόλλυμι). The subjunctive signals possibility within divine purpose: the perishing of a part prevents destruction of the whole. The contrast between ἓν τῶν μελῶν (“one of your members”) and ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου (“your whole body”) dramatizes the stakes: partial loss for the sake of total preservation.
The Passive of Judgment: βληθῇ
The final clause warns: μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμά σου βληθῇ εἰς γέενναν — “lest your whole body be thrown into Gehenna.” The verb βληθῇ is aorist passive subjunctive of βάλλω. The passive voice highlights divine or eschatological agency: it is not the disciple who throws himself but who is thrown in judgment. The contrast between βάλε (active imperative: “you throw away”) and βληθῇ (passive: “be thrown”) is striking — throw away sin, or be thrown into judgment.
Parsing Table
| Greek Form | Parsing | Aspect | Function | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| σκανδαλίζει | Pres. act. ind., 3rd sg. of σκανδαλίζω | Imperfective | Continuous potential stumbling | “causes to stumble” |
| ἔκκοψον | Aor. act. imp., 2nd sg. of ἐκκόπτω | Perfective | Command for decisive removal | “cut it off” |
| βάλε | Aor. act. imp., 2nd sg. of βάλλω | Perfective | Command for definitive disposal | “throw it away” |
| ἀπόληται | Aor. mid. subj., 3rd sg. of ἀπόλλυμι | Perfective (subjunctive mood) | Purpose of perishing one part | “should perish” |
| βληθῇ | Aor. pass. subj., 3rd sg. of βάλλω | Perfective (passive) | Depicts eschatological judgment | “be thrown” |
Lexical Notes
- σκανδαλίζω — “to cause to stumble, to trip up.” In the New Testament, often metaphorical for causing sin or spiritual downfall.
- μέλος — “member, part.” Used here for bodily parts, but Paul later uses it for members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12).
- γέεννα — Gehenna, derived from the Valley of Hinnom, symbolizing eschatological judgment.
Theological Reflection
This verse communicates the radical demands of discipleship through shocking hyperbole. The grammar heightens the force: conditional clauses set the scene, imperatives demand decisive action, and subjunctives express purpose and outcome. The image of cutting off the right hand confronts the disciple with the seriousness of sin: better to suffer great personal loss than to face eternal judgment. Jesus does not encourage self-mutilation but uncompromising separation from sin, wherever it may be found.
Grammar That Cuts Deep
Matthew 5:30 exemplifies how grammar can convey urgency. The conditional clause presents the scenario; the imperatives demand radical removal; the purpose and passive subjunctives underline the eternal stakes. Syntax itself dramatizes the choice: either throw away what causes stumbling, or be thrown into Gehenna. Through tense, mood, and voice, grammar becomes a scalpel, cutting away ambiguity and leaving a clear call to holiness.
