independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativeconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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Seek the things above 3:1–4
1
Εἰ οὖν συνηγέρθητε τῷ Χριστῷ,conditional — the protasis — leans on the imperative below: resurrection (2:12) as premise, not doubt
τὰ ἄνω ζητεῖτε,independent — the chapter's first charge — the upward orientation of the risen
οὗ ὁ Χριστός ἐστινrelative — οὗ locates τὰ ἄνω — above is where Christ is
ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ καθήμενος·participial — Ps 110:1 — καθήμενος read as its own predication, not tightly periphrastic with ἐστιν
2
τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖτε,independent — ζητεῖτε deepened to φρονεῖτε — not only seek but think from above
μὴ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.phrase modifier — the elliptical negative — φρονεῖτε carried over
3
ἀπεθάνετε γάρ,cause — the ground — the death of 2:20 restated in two words
καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν κέκρυπται σὺν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐν τῷ θεῷ·cause — coordinate ground — the perfect κέκρυπται: hidden and still hidden
4
ὅταν ὁ Χριστὸς φανερωθῇ,conditional — ὅταν-temporal set like a protasis — leaning on the promise below
ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν,phrase modifier — apposition to ὁ Χριστός — the hidden life of v. 3 named as a person
τότε καὶ ὑμεῖς σὺν αὐτῷ φανερωθήσεσθε ἐν δόξῃ.independent — the apodosis — the same verb φανερόω: his manifestation is yours
Put to death what is earthly 3:5–11
vv. 5–7 — put to death: the first list, and the wrath it draws
5
Νεκρώσατε οὖν τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς,independent — οὖν draws the practice from vv. 1–4 — the limbs of the old life executed
πορνείαν, ἀκαθαρσίαν, πάθος, ἐπιθυμίαν κακήν,phrase modifier — the vice column — apposition to τὰ μέλη: the members named by their deeds
καὶ τὴν πλεονεξίανphrase modifier — the fifth vice, alone with the article — singled out for the unmasking
ἥτις ἐστὶν εἰδωλολατρία,relative — ἥτις qualitative — greed unmasked as worship of another god (cf. Eph 5:5)
6
δι' ἃ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας·relative — δι' ἃ plural — the whole list in view; present ἔρχεται: wrath already on its way (Eph 5:6)
7
ἐν οἷς καὶ ὑμεῖς περιεπατήσατέ ποτε,relative — ἐν οἷς read of the vices — your former element (some: 'among whom', the sons of v. 6)
ὅτε ἐζῆτε ἐν τούτοις·conditional — ὅτε-temporal, anchored backward — the walk matched the life
vv. 8–11 — put away, put on: the old man stripped, the new being renewed
8
νυνὶ δὲ ἀπόθεσθε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ πάντα,independent — νυνὶ δέ — the then/now turn; the clothing metaphor begins
ὀργήν, θυμόν, κακίαν, βλασφημίαν, αἰσχρολογίαν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν·phrase modifier — the second column — sins of temper and tongue, apposition to τὰ πάντα
9
μὴ ψεύδεσθε εἰς ἀλλήλους,independent — the lone finite prohibition — the tongue-sins summed in one
ἀπεκδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ,participial — ground 1 — the aorist read causally, not as a command: the stripping already done (2:11, 15)
10
καὶ ἐνδυσάμενοι τὸν νέονparticipial — ground 2, twin to the first — old man off, new man on
τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον εἰς ἐπίγνωσινparticipial — attributive present — the once-for-all putting-on issues in ongoing renewal
κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν,phrase modifier — Gen 1:26–27 — the new creation restores the εἰκών; the Creator is God in Christ (1:15)
11
ὅπου οὐκ ἔνι Ἕλλην καὶ Ἰουδαῖος,relative — ὅπου — in the new humanity the old boundary-pairs fail
περιτομὴ καὶ ἀκροβυστία,phrase modifier — the second pair — οὐκ ἔνι carried over down the series
βάρβαρος, Σκύθης, δοῦλος, ἐλεύθερος,phrase modifier — the pairs dissolve into a bare list — even the Scythian, byword for savagery
ἀλλὰ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν Χριστός.phrase modifier — the verbless climax — Χριστός the last word, where the list expected more names
Put on the new — love, peace, word, name 3:12–17
vv. 12–14 — clothe yourselves: five graces, crowned by love
12
Ἐνδύσασθε οὖνindependent — the positive imperative answering Νεκρώσατε and ἀπόθεσθε — the wardrobe of the new man
ὡς ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἅγιοι καὶ ἠγαπημένοι,comparative — Israel's three titles transferred to the church — the standing that grounds the dress
σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, χρηστότητα, ταπεινοφροσύνην, πραΰτητα, μακροθυμίαν,phrase modifier — the virtue column — five graces answering the five vices of v. 5 and v. 8
13
ἀνεχόμενοι ἀλλήλωνparticipial — the graces in exercise — endurance of the other
καὶ χαριζόμενοι ἑαυτοῖςparticipial — χαριζόμενοι — forgiveness as grace given, ἑαυτοῖς for ἀλλήλοις
ἐάν τις πρός τινα ἔχῃ μομφήν·conditional — the case supposed — anchored back on χαριζόμενοι: forgiveness meets the actual grievance
καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐχαρίσατο ὑμῖνcomparative — the measure — set like a protasis, leaning on οὕτως below (καθὼς … οὕτως)
οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς·phrase modifier — the verbless apodosis — χαρίζεσθε supplied from the comparison
14
ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην,phrase modifier — still the object of Ἐνδύσασθε — the outer garment over the five
ὅ ἐστιν σύνδεσμος τῆς τελειότητος.relative — neuter ὅ sweeps the act of putting on love — the belt that binds the whole outfit
vv. 15–17 — let peace arbitrate, the word indwell, the name govern all
15
καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Χριστοῦ βραβευέτω ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν,independent — βραβευέτω — the umpire's verb: peace arbitrates the community's disputes
εἰς ἣν καὶ ἐκλήθητε ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι·relative — the call was into this peace — one body (1:18) its arena
καὶ εὐχάριστοι γίνεσθε.independent — the first of three thanksgiving notes (vv. 15, 16, 17)
16
ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐνοικείτω ἐν ὑμῖν πλουσίως,independent — the third jussive — the word takes up residence in the community
ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ διδάσκοντες καὶ νουθετοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς ψαλμοῖς, ὕμνοις, ᾠδαῖς πνευματικαῖς ἐν χάριτι,participial — the indwelling in practice — mutual instruction in song (ἐν χάριτι punctuated with the songs, readable with ᾄδοντες)
ᾄδοντες ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν τῷ θεῷ·participial — the song turned Godward — hearts, not only voices (cf. Eph 5:19)
17
καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι ἐὰν ποιῆτε ἐν λόγῳ ἢ ἐν ἔργῳ,conditional — the universal relative as protasis (πᾶν ὅ τι ἐάν) — leaning on the verbless charge below
πάντα ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου Ἰησοῦ,independent — verbless apodosis — ποιεῖτε supplied: the name over every word and work
εὐχαριστοῦντες τῷ θεῷ πατρὶ δι' αὐτοῦ.participial — the accompanying posture — thanksgiving through the one name
The household code 3:18–25
vv. 18–21 — wives, husbands, children, fathers: each address with its Lord-ward warrant
18
Αἱ γυναῖκες, ὑποτάσσεσθε τοῖς ἀνδράσιν,independent — the code opens — the address-plus-imperative pattern of all five
ὡς ἀνῆκεν ἐν κυρίῳ.comparative — the qualifier — ἐν κυρίῳ measures, and limits, the submission
19
Οἱ ἄνδρες, ἀγαπᾶτε τὰς γυναῖκαςindependent — the husband's one verb — ἀγαπᾶτε (cf. Eph 5:25)
καὶ μὴ πικραίνεσθε πρὸς αὐτάς.independent — the negative twin — πικραίνεσθε: no embittered edge
20
Τὰ τέκνα, ὑπακούετε τοῖς γονεῦσιν κατὰ πάντα,independent — the children addressed directly — members of the assembly
τοῦτο γὰρ εὐάρεστόν ἐστιν ἐν κυρίῳ.cause — the warrant — εὐάρεστον: what pleases, ἐν κυρίῳ again
21
Οἱ πατέρες, μὴ ἐρεθίζετε τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν,independent — the counter-charge to the fathers — authority restrained
ἵνα μὴ ἀθυμῶσιν.purpose — negative purpose — ἀθυμῶσιν: a child's broken spirit as the harm in view
vv. 22–25 — slaves: the longest word — working for the Lord who repays
22
Οἱ δοῦλοι, ὑπακούετε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς κατὰ σάρκα κυρίοις,independent — the fullest address — κατὰ σάρκα already relativizes the masters
μὴ ἐν ὀφθαλμοδουλίᾳ ὡς ἀνθρωπάρεσκοι,phrase modifier — the manner denied — obedience that performs only under the eye
ἀλλ' ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας,phrase modifier — the manner affirmed — ἁπλότης: the undivided heart
φοβούμενοι τὸν κύριον.participial — the true overseer — the fear transferred from master to κύριος
23
ὃ ἐὰν ποιῆτε,conditional — the relative-protasis (ὃ ἐάν) — leaning on the imperative below, echoing v. 17
ἐκ ψυχῆς ἐργάζεσθε ὡς τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις,independent — ἐκ ψυχῆς — the whole self in the work; the master swapped for the Lord
24
εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπὸ κυρίου ἀπολήμψεσθε τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τῆς κληρονομίας.participial — the ground — the inheritance (1:12) paid to those who could inherit nothing
τῷ κυρίῳ Χριστῷ δουλεύετε·independent — δουλεύετε read as indicative — the fact beneath the charge (many take it as imperative)
25
ὁ γὰρ ἀδικῶν κομίσεται ὃ ἠδίκησεν,cause — the sanction — κομίσεται: wages of wrong paid in kind
καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν προσωπολημψία.cause — no προσωπολημψία — said here to slaves what Eph 6:9 says to masters
Analysis. The chapter is a run of flush-left purple imperatives — ζητεῖτε, φρονεῖτε, Νεκρώσατε, ἀπόθεσθε, μὴ ψεύδεσθε, Ἐνδύσασθε, βραβευέτω, ἐνοικείτω, then the five household addresses — each trailing a short chain, with olive protasis lines leaning forward above their apodoses at the seams (Εἰ οὖν in v. 1, ὅταν in v. 4, πᾶν ὅ τι ἐάν in v. 17, ὃ ἐάν in v. 23): the indicative premise always stands over the command. The section's visual signature is its gray dashed columns — two vice lists (vv. 5, 8), a virtue list (v. 12), and the ὅπου series (v. 11) where the boundary-pairs dissolve until Χριστός is the last word — verbless catalogues hanging from a single imperative's object. Interpretive choices the layout takes a side on: ἐστιν and καθήμενος (v. 1) are set as separate lines — 'where Christ is', then the Ps 110:1 session — rather than one periphrastic; ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν (v. 4) is apposition to ὁ Χριστός inside the ὅταν clause; ἐν οἷς (v. 7) is read of the vices, not the sons of disobedience; the aorist participles ἀπεκδυσάμενοι and ἐνδυσάμενοι (vv. 9–10) are grounds ('since you have stripped off'), not fresh commands; ἐπὶ πᾶσιν δὲ τούτοις τὴν ἀγάπην (v. 14) is still the object of Ἐνδύσασθε, with the neuter ὅ sweeping the whole act; ἐν χάριτι (v. 16) is left with the songs as punctuated, though the English lets it lean toward ᾄδοντες; and δουλεύετε (v. 24) is read as indicative — the fact beneath the slaves' charge — not one more imperative.