1:21 and 1:22 All of the verbs in this sentence have verbs in the present or imperfect, suggesting a lot of movement.
1:23 Mark puts the word "unclean" last in this clause, so it reads "there was in the syn. a man in spirit unclean." A bit of suspense. Also, Mark uses an aorist verb for "crying out" suggesting an abrupt change in the movement.
The word for unclean is "akathartos" as in the man needs a cathartic experience...
1.24 The phrase here in Greek that the unclean spirit uses is "What to you and to me." This is essentially what Jesus to his mother at Cana "What to me and to you." In other words, this is not a very kind way to talk!
The unc. spirit uses the PLURAL -- not the singular, even though the text only identifies the unc. spirit as one.
1.26 Interesting that even though the unclean Spirit obeys Jesus, it still causes problems on the way out!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, December 29, 2008
John 1:1-18
This is perhaps on the richest passages in all of Greek. I am not sure where to go with it. Rather than a line by line commentary, I would offer three things (which I pretty much got from Pr. Paul Berge):
1.14 The word for dwelt here is "skehno-oo" which literally means tent. The next line is that we see the glory of God in Christ. The last time we saw a tent that held the glory of God was the tabernacle in Exodus.
1.17 Their is no punctuation or words between the first half and the second half of the sentence. I find this profound because theologians, especially Lutheran theologians, our life will be spent wrestling over what punctation to put here -- what is the relationship between the law and the Gospel!
1.18 The word for make known here is literally "exegete!" Jesus exegetes the Father's heart!
1.14 The word for dwelt here is "skehno-oo" which literally means tent. The next line is that we see the glory of God in Christ. The last time we saw a tent that held the glory of God was the tabernacle in Exodus.
1.17 Their is no punctuation or words between the first half and the second half of the sentence. I find this profound because theologians, especially Lutheran theologians, our life will be spent wrestling over what punctation to put here -- what is the relationship between the law and the Gospel!
1.18 The word for make known here is literally "exegete!" Jesus exegetes the Father's heart!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Romans 16:25-27
16.25 [Grammar note: the word for "the one who is able" is a substantive participle.]
16.26 This sentence is very complex grammatically, in that there really is not indicative verb in these three sentences!
16.27 One thing worth mentioning here is that the English hides the fact that the word "eternal" or "ages" is used three times, once in each verse here. Things have been hidden for ages; God has given an eternal command; and now God is in glory forever.
An ironic twist of the Bible that Romans ends with the wisdom and glory of God...which Paul will take up in the first page of 1st Corinthians in a very different way!
16.26 This sentence is very complex grammatically, in that there really is not indicative verb in these three sentences!
16.27 One thing worth mentioning here is that the English hides the fact that the word "eternal" or "ages" is used three times, once in each verse here. Things have been hidden for ages; God has given an eternal command; and now God is in glory forever.
An ironic twist of the Bible that Romans ends with the wisdom and glory of God...which Paul will take up in the first page of 1st Corinthians in a very different way!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
5:19 The word for quench is "sbennu-mi." This has a rather unclear English cognate: asbestos. (asbestos is something that is unquenchable!)
5:23 Two of the words here have the root "holo" (as in 'whole'). In English the breadth of Paul's statement about spirit, soul and body is clear; the Greek words just accent this a bit. The NRSV drops the second "holo" word which modifies "spirit."
5:23 Two of the words here have the root "holo" (as in 'whole'). In English the breadth of Paul's statement about spirit, soul and body is clear; the Greek words just accent this a bit. The NRSV drops the second "holo" word which modifies "spirit."
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
2 Peter 3:9-15
3.9 Grammatically, the sentence could read "Lord of the promise is not slow." (technically, the word "promise" is in the genitive; this verb can take a genitive object, but it could also be a genitive not connected with the verb but instead with the noun that precedes it.)
The word used in the phrase "all to come to repentence" is "choore-oo." This verb comes from the word for space/region/place (As in the whole Judean Countryside came out to visit him). More literally, thus, this reads "God has room for all to come to repentence."
3.10 A Greek note -- the idea of the cosmos being consumed in a fire is a strong idea in Greek mythology and even stocism.
3.11 The word here for piety is "eusebeia." This word is not used in the Gospels or the Pauline core. Interestingly, Peter does use this word in Acts when he says to the people -- you think we did this of our own piety?? (3:12) (And the ansewr is no!)
3.12 The word translated hastening is "speud-oo," which can also mean "strive for."
The word used in the phrase "all to come to repentence" is "choore-oo." This verb comes from the word for space/region/place (As in the whole Judean Countryside came out to visit him). More literally, thus, this reads "God has room for all to come to repentence."
3.10 A Greek note -- the idea of the cosmos being consumed in a fire is a strong idea in Greek mythology and even stocism.
3.11 The word here for piety is "eusebeia." This word is not used in the Gospels or the Pauline core. Interestingly, Peter does use this word in Acts when he says to the people -- you think we did this of our own piety?? (3:12) (And the ansewr is no!)
3.12 The word translated hastening is "speud-oo," which can also mean "strive for."
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Mark 13:24-37
This was my first look at this passage nearly a decade ago. I took this and worked into a larger post, which you can find here: http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2011/11/mark-1324-37.html
13.25 The word for fall here (from pimp-oo) is a present tense participle used with the the future tense of the "to be" verb. This construction (instead of a future participle) is a good lesson of why you should not waste any time learning future participles. They are so rare and even Greek speakers avoided them with other constructions.
13.31 The promise of Jesus that his Words will never pass away is a ou meh construction, ie, a STRONG future denial. Also interesting is that this word (parercho-mai) appears in 2 Cor 5:17, Behold, Everything has passed away.
13.34 The word here for "puts his slaves in charge, each with his work," is actually "gives his slaves each power/authority, that is to each his work." The word here for power/authority (charge) is "exousia." We are given power while Jesus is not here to do our work.
13.25 The word for fall here (from pimp-oo) is a present tense participle used with the the future tense of the "to be" verb. This construction (instead of a future participle) is a good lesson of why you should not waste any time learning future participles. They are so rare and even Greek speakers avoided them with other constructions.
13.31 The promise of Jesus that his Words will never pass away is a ou meh construction, ie, a STRONG future denial. Also interesting is that this word (parercho-mai) appears in 2 Cor 5:17, Behold, Everything has passed away.
13.34 The word here for "puts his slaves in charge, each with his work," is actually "gives his slaves each power/authority, that is to each his work." The word here for power/authority (charge) is "exousia." We are given power while Jesus is not here to do our work.
1 Cor 1:3-9
1.3 Paul uses the word grace more often than any other author. Interestingly, Mark's entire Gospel never has this word (charis)...a remind that things can be gracious even without the explicit word. Furthermore, each time Paul uses the word "grace" in 1 Cor, it is used in conjunction with God. Grace is not from us, but from God.
1.4 The word here for "give thanks" is "eucharist-oo."
1.5 The word here for rich is a verb, "ploutiz-oo," which Paul alone uses in the NT and in fact, only in the Corinthians letter. A reminder, perhaps to the rich people in Corinth, that real wealth comes from God in Jesus Christ.
1.6 The word for "made fast" is an aorist verb "bebaio-oo." I wonder what Paul is refering to as the singular event that made the witness fast...it looks like he might be setting up his argument later in this chapter.
The word for witness here is "martyrion," from which our English word "martyr comes from." It is interesting the way in which Paul sets up his argument here about what an effective witness will be (consider chapters 8-11). Paul seems to ground it thoroughly in Christ, not in our earthly status...which those in Corinth seemed to dwell on.
1.7 The word for "revelation" here is "apokalypsis." Interestingly, the word "gift" here (charisma) will be the focus of chapter 12. Especially fitting here that Paul points out to a divided congregation on wealth and status that the wealth, the knowledge and even the charisma is common grace we received in Jesus Christ.
The word for "lacking" here is "hystere-oo," which Paul uses in Romans to point out that we all lack the glory of God (3:23)
1.9 Paul now uses the word "koinoonia" (fellowship); again, an interesting contrast to what he will describe as happening in Corinth.
1.4 The word here for "give thanks" is "eucharist-oo."
1.5 The word here for rich is a verb, "ploutiz-oo," which Paul alone uses in the NT and in fact, only in the Corinthians letter. A reminder, perhaps to the rich people in Corinth, that real wealth comes from God in Jesus Christ.
1.6 The word for "made fast" is an aorist verb "bebaio-oo." I wonder what Paul is refering to as the singular event that made the witness fast...it looks like he might be setting up his argument later in this chapter.
The word for witness here is "martyrion," from which our English word "martyr comes from." It is interesting the way in which Paul sets up his argument here about what an effective witness will be (consider chapters 8-11). Paul seems to ground it thoroughly in Christ, not in our earthly status...which those in Corinth seemed to dwell on.
1.7 The word for "revelation" here is "apokalypsis." Interestingly, the word "gift" here (charisma) will be the focus of chapter 12. Especially fitting here that Paul points out to a divided congregation on wealth and status that the wealth, the knowledge and even the charisma is common grace we received in Jesus Christ.
The word for "lacking" here is "hystere-oo," which Paul uses in Romans to point out that we all lack the glory of God (3:23)
1.9 Paul now uses the word "koinoonia" (fellowship); again, an interesting contrast to what he will describe as happening in Corinth.
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