Apr 16 2006
He is Risen Indeed!
I hope that you don't mind the slight deviation this weekend from the normal course of translations. Next week, the typical sequence will resume. Now for something completely different!
Matthew 28:1-6
Ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων, τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων ἦλθεν Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ ἡ ἄλλη Μαρία θεωρῆσαι τὸν τάφον. 2 καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας· ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου καταβὰς ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ προσελθὼν ἀπεκύλισεν τὸν λίθον καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ. 3 ἦν δὲ ἡ εἰδέα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπὴ καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ λευκὸν ὡς χιών. 4 ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ φόβου αὐτοῦ ἐσείσθησαν οἱ τηροῦντες καὶ ἐγενήθησαν ὡς νεκροί. 5 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν ταῖς γυναιξίν· μὴ φοβεῖσθε ὑμεῖς, οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον ζητεῖτε· 6 οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε, ἠγέρθη γὰρ καθὼς εἶπεν· δεῦτε ἴδετε τὸν τόπον ὅπου ἔκειτο.
Vocabulary
Verse 1
Ὀψὲ preposition: “after”
ἐπιφωσκω verb (present active participle dative fs): “dawn”
μίαν “one”
ἐρχομαι verb (aorist active indicative 3rd sg): “came”
θεωρ?ω verb (aorist active infinitive)
τάφον noun: “grave”
Syntax & Miscellaneous
- The substantive participle, ?πιφ?σκω, is functioning as a temporal marker.
- The noun, σαββ?των, can refer to the Sabbath as a day or a special week or merely the seven day rotation of the week. The first usage in this passage carries the first meaning; whereas the second is the last.
Vocabulary
Verse 2
σεισμὸς noun: “earthquake”
?ποκυλ?ω verb (aorist active indicative 3rd sg): “roll away”
κ?θημαι verb (imperfect medial-passive indicative 3rd sg): “sit”
?π?νω preposition: “on, above”
Verse 3
ε?δ?α noun: “appearance”
?στραπ? noun: “lightning”
?νδυμα “face”
λευκ?ς adjective (nominative neuter sg): “white”
χι?ν “snow”
Verse 4
σε?ω verb (aorist passive indicative 3rd pl): “shake with fear”
τηρ?ω “guards”
Verse 5
σταυρ?ω verb (perfect passive participle accusative ms): “crucify”
Verse 6
?δε adverb: “here”
?γε?ρω verb (aorist passive indicative 3rd sg): “rise (from the dead)”
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 2
- The first clause functions much like a ???? does in Hebrew narrative.
- Notice the typical pattern of placing the clause conjunctions after the first word of the clause, called post-positives.
- The preposition, ?π?νω, takes a genitive object. The object of the preposition is an anaphoric pronoun (α?το? “he, it”) referring to λ?θος “stone.”
Verse 3
- The verb, “to be,” is gapped in the second clause, τ? ?νδυμα α?το? λευκ?ν ?ς χι?ν.
Verse 5
- The negative particle, μ?, is used with non-indicatives (i.e. the imperative as in this context).
- The particle, ?τι, often serves in Greek as a marker of speech (Similar to ???? in Hebrew.)
Verse 6
- The post-positive γ?ρ in the second clause is explanative.