Why Then Did Moses Command It? A Grammar Inquiry from Matthew 19:7

Posted on July 1, 2019 by Νέα Ελληνικά

Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· τί οὖν Μωσῆς ἐνετείλατο δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι αὐτήν; (Matthew 19:7)

Modern Greek Pronunciation: légousin aftó̱: ti ú̱n Mōsís enetílato doúnai vivlíon apostasíou kai apolý̱sai aftín?

Literal English Translation: They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?

Koine Greek Breakdown

  1. λέγουσιν – present active indicative 3rd person plural from λέγω, “they say”.
  2. αὐτῷ – dative masculine singular pronoun, “to him”.
  3. τί – interrogative pronoun, “why”.
  4. οὖν – particle, “then”, signaling inference or emphasis.
  5. Μωσῆς – proper noun, nominative masculine singular, “Moses”.
  6. ἐνετείλατο – aorist middle indicative 3rd singular from ἐντέλλομαι, “he commanded”.
  7. δοῦναι – aorist active infinitive from δίδωμι, “to give”.
  8. βιβλίον ἀποστασίου – accusative singular compound noun phrase, “certificate of divorce”.
    – βιβλίον: “document” (neuter); ἀποστασίου: genitive from ἀποστασίον, “divorce”.
  9. καὶ ἀπολῦσαι – conjunction + aorist active infinitive from ἀπολύω, “to send away, dismiss”.
  10. αὐτήν – accusative feminine singular pronoun, “her”.

Modern Greek Translation

Του λένε: «Γιατί τότε ο Μωυσής πρόσταξε να δώσει διαζευκτήριο και να τη διώξει;»

Notable Changes

  • λέγουσιν → του λένε: Shift from 3rd person plural verb + dative pronoun to simple SVO word order.
  • τί οὖν → γιατί τότε: More idiomatic in Modern Greek with adverbial γιατί replacing interrogative pronoun.
  • ἐνετείλατο → πρόσταξε: Simplification of aorist middle to regular past tense.
  • δοῦναι → να δώσει: Infinitive replaced by subjunctive with να construction.
  • ἀποστασίου → διαζευκτήριο: Legal vocabulary updated to modern term for divorce certificate.
  • ἀπολῦσαι → να τη διώξει: Infinitive replaced with finite clause.

Comparison Table

Grammatical Feature Koine Greek Modern Greek Notes
3rd Plural Speech Verb λέγουσιν αὐτῷ του λένε Dative replaced by genitive/accusative pattern
Question Introduction τί οὖν γιατί τότε Modern Greek simplifies rhetorical tone
Infinitive Usage δοῦναι, ἀπολῦσαι να δώσει, να διώξει Infinitives replaced by να + subjunctive
Legal Terminology βιβλίον ἀποστασίου διαζευκτήριο Technical phrase modernized to one word

Grammar in Legal Dialogue

Matthew 19:7 reflects Koine’s preference for layered verbs, participial economy, and heavy use of infinitives—especially in legal or formal settings. Modern Greek pushes for clarity: clauses get unpacked, infinitives give way to subordinate verbs, and even Moses’ command becomes more accessible to the ear. Yet the structure still delivers a formal rhetorical question worthy of courtroom discourse.

About Νέα Ελληνικά

Learning Modern Greek offers a powerful bridge to mastering New Testament (Koine) Greek, not only because of their shared alphabet and overlapping vocabulary, but because Modern Greek gives you living access to the pronunciation, rhythm, and cultural continuity of the language. While Koine Greek is a historical form with distinct grammatical features, many core linguistic structures—like verb roots, case systems, and idiomatic expressions—have echoes in today’s usage. Immersing yourself in Modern Greek trains your ear to hear the language as it's still spoken, helps internalize vocabulary intuitively, and fosters a deeper cultural and devotional connection to the biblical text through the living linguistic heritage of Greece. In essence, Modern Greek doesn't just support your study of the New Testament—it extends and animates it.
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