Compact Comparative

How Deliciously Compact the #Greek Comparative can be!

#biblestudy #greekgrammar #classicalgreek #koinegreek #greek

#Matthew 12 verses 41 -42 has a lovely example of this!

and why learning some Greek needs to your appreciation of either or both the #GreekNewTestament and the Greek Language.

... and behold something greater than Jonah

... and behold something greater than Solomon.

Something greater than is one simple elegant word in Greek

PLEION 

which is the neuter form of pleioon the comparative form of plus

polus pleioon pleistos many more most

Its whats called an Irregular Comparative and if You have a copy of Goodwin's Greek Grammar go to P.61

You'll also find this topic covered in the JACT text and various others.

The study of Classical and New Testament Greek should NOT be separate subjects. A solid grounding in studying Greek grammar and reading Classical literature aids one's appreciation and understanding of New Testament greek. Likewise reading the Greek new Testament reminds us Greek was a living language used not just by Athenian and Hellenistic dramatists orators historians and philosophers but ordinary people as well.

I did say there would be some mid week posts soon.
I've almost finished the research for that!

A Request 

I do hope some of my readers and followers will consider using the paypal tip jar occasionally?

I don't have FREE wifi and I had to upgrade to a wireless modem to overcome poor reception conditions so I do have to pay power and broadband bills to bring you these posts.

3 days and nights

#Matthew 12:40
#prophecy #resurrection #whatjesussaid #biblestudy #newtestamentgreek

If you're debating teaching discussing or just plain quibbling about whats said about the Resurrection in the Bible you might want to take a look at this verse.

Note also the rest of the passage verses 38 - 42 in which OT figures such as Jonah the Queen of Sheba and Solomon are mentioned

Jesus summarizes the story of Jonah emphasizing he was in the belly of the whale or sea monster 3 days and 3 nights and then says

"so (likewise) will be the son of man in the heart of the earth 3 days and 3 nights

Make of that what you will or just believe but those are the exact words spoken.

Pegasus on a plate

Here's #Pegasus.

I'm sharing this simply cos I'm sorting thru older images in my laptops folders and wanted to share the pleasure of this striking piece showing Pegasus acting as a war horse aiding his rider to defeat Chimera!

MARTYR or not ...?

MARTYR or not ... ?

There is a great gulf in difference between the Greek and English usages and meanings of the word martyr.

A MARTYR is someone who gives witness or testifies about an event.

However for Christians in the early church it came to have another meaning.

ST. Stephen is referred to as the first martyr but we often forget that is partly he give witness in a long speech to the council that condemned him.

While in later centuries there were anti Christian riots the word martyr came to be applied to persecuted members of the early church because they could not be condemned to the arena or other punishments for "atheism" or not sacrificing to the Emperor BEFORE they were processed by a magistrate.

They could give witness in their own defence.

Its a perfect and tragic example of semantic transfer and extension from one limited meaning to another broader one.

To most people it now means someone who suffers for a cause and their suffering is seen as a form of witness. Yet originally the witnessing the giving of testimony in court was more important than the consequent suffering.

There are some people who undoubtedly think a certain Kentuckian county clerk is a martyr. That person however may be and think she's witnessing her faith but she is not at risk of death or torture unless by torture you include some of the social media memes cartoons and other satire appearing on the net.

Martyrs first and foremost should be witnesses presenting evidence not heros or victim. However the only thing Kim Davis' activities seem to be proving is that she doesn't understand she lives in a secular democracy not the first century AD Roman Empire!

She wasn't asked to sacrifice to idols or worship the President as a living god.

IF you want to be a social activist Davis try supporting the local homeless or refusing to issue marriage licenses to church elders who marry girls young enuff to be their daughters or to adulterers maybe?

Or perhaps you could resign your cosy bureaucrat's job and go and help Syrian refugees many of whom genuinely are persecuted ! ... and possibly more Christian than you?

It also appalls me that I see people curiously nearly all white middle aged american males getting on social media "witnessing" that refugees are actually ISI jihadis or economic migrants.

Witnessing is supposedly to be based on things you have seen and experienced FIRST HAND not RECYCLING whatever paranoid or homophobic nonsense you saw on the web!

If you're witnessing about anything be a responsible informed witness!

Next week we presume working through the Gospel of Matthew though the way some people are behaving about refugees I'm tempted to do a word for word translation of the Good Samaritan story especially the part where the Samaritan doesn't ask the person to provide visas passports and other proof of ID.

Careless Words Can Condemn

Matthew 12. 36 - 37  #biblestudy #greek #greeknewtestament

#Jesus continues his rebuking of the Pharisees.

I say and to you that every word careless / casual/idle see note which they say the people they will give back yield be judged by implied by their own word in / on day of judgement

argon is a+ergos not shining or white  careless idle unworked lazy casual

out of for of the words of you you will be judged / justified
and out of the words of you condemned

readers please think and speak with wisdom compassion and carefully

Abundance is not always treasure

Abundance is not always  treasure
#biblestudy #greeknewtestament #gospel #greek
Matthew 12 34-35

There are some very interesting Greek words in these two verses.

First my word for word

34

Offspring of vipers how are you able good things to say (while) evil being.

out for the overflow / surplus of the heart the mouth speaks.

35

the good man out of his good treasure / treasury / storehouse brings out good
and the evil man out of the evil treasury brings out evils.

Note first the use of a neuter genneemata not family or clan but offspring and of poisonous snakes!

Then there's perisseumata usually translated as abundance but this from of abundance implies over flow surplus excess even waste too much of something.

They're spewing!

A theesauros can be a storehouse or room or a chest anything you store something you think is valuable EVEN if it isn't!

Offerings arent always gold and silver and spices and silk but sometimes candles sashes old clothing an odd peice of brocade old furniture.

I think from the context Jesus was thinking of a treasury that's a mixture of junk and valuables only the owner thinks are treasures ... (something like my garage or library shelves!)

Finally remember he has just rebuked them for accusing him of black magic!

Known by its fruit

#Matthew 12:33

#gospel #biblestudy #whatjesussaid

"Either make the tree fine and the fruit of it excellent
or make the tree rotten and the fruit of it worthless
for by the fruit the tree is known."

Some language points

In #greek "Good" is KALON" which also translates as fine or excellent or beautiful.

Rotten and worthless are two possible readings of  Greek sapros.

Note the use of MAKE in an Imperative form.

Coming after a passage in which he rebuked the Pharisees for claiming his healing powers came from demons and asked who they got their powers from?

Its not just the tree and its fruit being good or bad. They can be made good or bad. Sapros is not just flawed imperfect fruit its fruit that is rotten infected diseased  or moldy.

However trees can be healed like people or churches or whole religions.

You can trim infected branches and perform other actions.

A recent example might be the actions of the #Duggar family.

Instead of removing the infected fruit they're trying to down play the sexual misconduct of their offspring and one has to wonder what flaws are in the rest of the family tree?

How do you heal trees or families?

Sound healthy food compost or manure and clean water.

Cut out infected parts and burn infected fruit or wood.

Fundamentalism is it a poison ?

Known by its fruit?