Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

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Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 3]. it is a diseased eye. So Satan is "the evil one" (Mt 5:37; 6:13, etc.). It is a very common adjective in the N.T. as in the older Greek. {Had done} (\epoi•sen\). Aorist active indicative, not past perfect, merely a summary constative aorist, {he did}. 3:20 {Added} (\proseth•ken\). First aorist active indicative (kappa aorist). Common verb (\prostith•mi\) in all Greek. In N.T. chiefly in Luke and Acts. Hippocrates used it of applying wet sponges to the head and Galen of applying a decoction of acorns. There is no evidence that Luke has a medical turn to the word here. The absence of the conjunction \hoti\ (that) before the next verb \katekleisen\ (shut up) is asyndeton. This verb literally means {shut down}, possibly with a reference to closing down the door of the dungeon, though it makes sense as a perfective use of the preposition, like our "shut up" without a strict regard to the idea of "down." It is an old and common verb, though here and Ac 26:10 only in the N.T. See Mt 14:3 for further statement about the prison. 3:21 {When all the people were baptised} (\en t•i baptisth•nai hapanta ton laon\). The use of the articular aorist infinitive here with \en\ bothers some grammarians and commentators. There is no element of time in the aorist infinitive. It is simply punctiliar action, literally "in the being baptized as to all the people." Luke does not say that all the people were baptized before Jesus came or were baptized at the same time. It is merely a general statement that Jesus was baptized in connexion with or at the time of the baptizing of the people as a whole. {Jesus also having been baptized} (\kai I•sou baptisthentos\). Genitive absolute construction, first aorist passive participle. In Luke's sentence the baptism of Jesus is merely introductory to the descent of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father. For the narrative of the baptism see Mr 1:9; Mt 3:13-16. {And praying} (\kai proseuchomenou\). Alone in Luke who so often mentions the praying of Jesus. Present participle and so naturally meaning that the heaven was opened while Jesus was praying though not necessarily in answer to his prayer. {The heaven was opened} (\ane•ichth•nai ton ouranon\). First aorist passive infinitive with double augment, whereas the infinitive is not supposed to have any augment. The regular form would be \anoichth•nai\ as in D (Codex Bezae). So the augment appears in the future indicative \kateaxei\ (Mt 12:20) and the second aorist passive subjunctive \kateag•sin\ (Joh 19:31). Such unusual forms appear in the http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/LU3.RWP.html (6 of 9) [28/08/2004 09:04:59 a.m.]

Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 3]. _Koin•_. This infinitive here with the accusative of general reference is the subject of \egeneto\ (it came to pass). Mt 3:16 uses the same verb, but Mr 1:10 has \schizomenous\, rent asunder. 3:22 {Descended} (\katab•nai\). Same construction as the preceding infinitive. {The Holy Ghost} (\to pneuma to hagion\). The Holy Spirit. Mr 1:10 has merely the Spirit (\to pneuma\) while Mt 3:16 has the Spirit of God (\pneuma theou\). {In a bodily form} (\s•matik•i eidei\). Alone in Luke who has also "as a dove" (\h•s peristeran\) like Matthew and Mark. This probably means that the Baptist saw the vision that looked like a dove. Nothing is gained by denying the fact or possibility of the vision that looked like a dove. God manifests his power as he will. The symbolism of the dove for the Holy Spirit is intelligible. We are not to understand that this was the beginning of the Incarnation of Christ as the Cerinthian Gnostics held. But this fresh influx of the Holy Spirit may have deepened the Messianic consciousness of Jesus and certainly revealed him to the Baptist as God's Son. {And a voice came out of heaven} (\kai ph•n•n ex ouranou genesthai\). Same construction of infinitive with accusative of general reference. The voice of the Father to the Son is given here as in Mr 1:11, which see, and Mt 3:17 for discussion of the variation there. The Trinity here manifest themselves at the baptism of Jesus which constitutes the formal entrance of Jesus upon his Messianic ministry. He enters upon it with the Father's blessing and approval and with the power of the Holy Spirit upon him. The deity of Christ here appears in plain form in the Synoptic Gospels. The consciousness of Christ is as clear on this point here as in the Gospel of John where the Baptist describes him after his baptism as the Son of God (Joh 1:34). 3:23 {Jesus Himself} (\autos I•sous\). Emphatic intensive pronoun calling attention to the personality of Jesus at this juncture. When he entered upon his Messianic work. {When he began to teach} (\archomenos\). The words "to teach" are not in the Greek text. The Authorized Version "began to be about thirty years of age," is an impossible translation. The Revised Version rightly supplies "to teach" (\didaskein\) after the present participle \archomenos\. Either the infinitive or the participle can follow \archomai\, usually the infinitive in the _Koin•_. It is not necessary to supply anything (Ac 1:22). {Was about thirty years http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/LU3.RWP.html (7 of 9) [28/08/2004 09:04:59 a.m.]

<strong>Word</strong> <strong>Pictures</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> NT [Luke: Chapter 3].<br />

it is a diseased eye. So Satan is "<strong>the</strong> evil one" (Mt 5:37;<br />

6:13, etc.). It is a very common adjective <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> N.T. as <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

older Greek. {Had done} (\epoi•sen\). Aorist active <strong>in</strong>dicative,<br />

not past perfect, merely a summary constative aorist, {he did}.<br />

3:20 {Added} (\proseth•ken\). First aorist active <strong>in</strong>dicative<br />

(kappa aorist). Common verb (\prostith•mi\) <strong>in</strong> all Greek. In N.T.<br />

chiefly <strong>in</strong> Luke and Acts. Hippocrates used it of apply<strong>in</strong>g wet<br />

sponges to <strong>the</strong> head and Galen of apply<strong>in</strong>g a decoction of acorns.<br />

There is no evidence that Luke has a medical turn to <strong>the</strong> word<br />

here. The absence of <strong>the</strong> conjunction \hoti\ (that) before <strong>the</strong><br />

next verb \katekleisen\ (shut up) is asyndeton. This verb<br />

literally means {shut down}, possibly with a reference to clos<strong>in</strong>g<br />

down <strong>the</strong> door of <strong>the</strong> dungeon, though it makes sense as a<br />

perfective use of <strong>the</strong> preposition, like our "shut up" without a<br />

strict regard to <strong>the</strong> idea of "down." It is an old and common<br />

verb, though here and Ac 26:10 only <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> N.T. See Mt 14:3<br />

for fur<strong>the</strong>r statement about <strong>the</strong> prison.<br />

3:21 {When all <strong>the</strong> people were baptised} (\en t•i baptisth•nai<br />

hapanta ton laon\). The use of <strong>the</strong> articular aorist <strong>in</strong>f<strong>in</strong>itive<br />

here with \en\ bo<strong>the</strong>rs some grammarians and commentators. There<br />

is no element of time <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> aorist <strong>in</strong>f<strong>in</strong>itive. It is simply<br />

punctiliar action, literally "<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g baptized as to all <strong>the</strong><br />

people." Luke does not say that all <strong>the</strong> people were baptized<br />

before Jesus came or were baptized at <strong>the</strong> same time. It is merely<br />

a general statement that Jesus was baptized <strong>in</strong> connexion with or<br />

at <strong>the</strong> time of <strong>the</strong> baptiz<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>the</strong> people as a whole. {Jesus<br />

also hav<strong>in</strong>g been baptized} (\kai I•sou baptis<strong>the</strong>ntos\). Genitive<br />

absolute construction, first aorist passive participle. In Luke's<br />

sentence <strong>the</strong> baptism of Jesus is merely <strong>in</strong>troductory to <strong>the</strong><br />

descent of <strong>the</strong> Holy Spirit and <strong>the</strong> voice of <strong>the</strong> Fa<strong>the</strong>r. For <strong>the</strong><br />

narrative of <strong>the</strong> baptism see Mr 1:9; Mt 3:13-16. {And pray<strong>in</strong>g}<br />

(\kai proseuchomenou\). Alone <strong>in</strong> Luke who so often mentions <strong>the</strong><br />

pray<strong>in</strong>g of Jesus. Present participle and so naturally mean<strong>in</strong>g<br />

that <strong>the</strong> heaven was opened while Jesus was pray<strong>in</strong>g though not<br />

necessarily <strong>in</strong> answer to his prayer. {The heaven was opened}<br />

(\ane•ichth•nai ton ouranon\). First aorist passive <strong>in</strong>f<strong>in</strong>itive<br />

with double augment, whereas <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>f<strong>in</strong>itive is not supposed to<br />

have any augment. The regular form would be \anoichth•nai\ as <strong>in</strong><br />

D (Codex Bezae). So <strong>the</strong> augment appears <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> future <strong>in</strong>dicative<br />

\kateaxei\ (Mt 12:20) and <strong>the</strong> second aorist passive subjunctive<br />

\kateag•s<strong>in</strong>\ (Joh 19:31). Such unusual forms appear <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/LU3.RWP.html (6 of 9) [28/08/2004 09:04:59 a.m.]

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