Matthew AMEN

Matthew 5: 17 – 18 AMEN

Jesus begins his comments on the “LAW”

Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας.

οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι.

Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἕως ἂν παρέλθη ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ,

ἰῶτα ἓν ἢ μία κεράία οὐ μὴ παρέλθη ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου,

ἕως ἂν πάντα γένηται.

Literally not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets (the Old Testament)

not I came to destroy but to fulfill!

Truly for I say to you until pass away the sky and the earth (or heaven and the world)

dot one or one stroke = not any part however small will pass away of the law

until all happens (as prophesied)

νομίσητε from νομίζω N.b. Aorist Subjunctive plus negative

he is commanding his audiences to pay careful attention to his message

sometimes this use of the aorist subjunctive as a negative prohibition is translated as Let Not !!!

It's an order. While Greek did have an aorist Imperative there sems to be a preference for the subjunctive for “Don't do” type orders

καταλῦσαι is the aorist infinitive of καταλῦω …my aim is not to destroy ...

the law and the prophets

the books of law and prophecies were regarded as the most important part of the Old Testament

Amen is a loan word from Hebrew. Verily truly really indeed is all valid translations.

The amen says that the speaker wants you to trust what he says s being true and reliable.

There are many words in Hebrew Arabic Syriace and Aramaic derived from the A – M – N radical.

Παρέλθη another Aorist subjunctive

a dot or stroke … remember this is an age of handwritten letters.

Part of a letter could be intentionally or accidentally scraped off papyrus or parchment.

Note the DOUBLE NEGATIVE lest no not no none nothing οὐ μὴ until all happens

Now go and reread the whole passage in Greek or English or both!

However while the law abides to the world's end we have to apply the Law with compassion and justice. He does not say obsess on every detail he drwas our attention to its endurance. Some people claim only the most literal interpretations of scriptures are valid.

More on this next time. A note given the length of the following passages I will be not doing a word for word translation just drawign your attention to certain features of importance in greek.

Next week our Lord teaches about the Ten Commandments! Go and read Matthew 5 to get ready!

Readers in australian time zones I normally get this posted earlier but there was wifi interference! Sorry!