independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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The persistent widow and the unjust judge 18:1–8
vv. 1–5 — the parable: a widow against the judge who fears no one
1
Ἔλεγεν δὲ παραβολὴν αὐτοῖςindependent — iterative imperfect — the teaching frame
πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ μὴ ἐγκακεῖν,purpose — πρὸς τό + infinitive — Luke states the parable's purpose before the story: the narrator's frame
2
λέγων·participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the story-frame
Κριτής τις ἦν ἔν τινι πόλειcontent — the setting — an anonymous judge in an anonymous city
τὸν θεὸν μὴ φοβούμενοςparticipial — first negation — irreligious to the core
καὶ ἄνθρωπον μὴ ἐντρεπόμενος.participial — second negation — shameless; the portrait the judge will own verbatim (v. 4)
3
χήρα δὲ ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃcontent — the petitioner — the OT type of the defenseless (Exod 22:22; Isa 1:17)
καὶ ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτὸνcontent — iterative imperfect — the relentless coming
λέγουσα·participial — the speech-participle for her one plea
Ἐκδίκησόν με ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου μου.content — ἐκδικέω — the parable's keyword (vv. 5, 7, 8); one demand, endlessly repeated
4
καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἐπὶ χρόνον,content — durative imperfect — the refusal stretched over time
μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ·content — the Lukan interior soliloquy (cf. 12:17; 15:17; 16:3) — the turn
Εἰ καὶ τὸν θεὸν οὐ φοβοῦμαι οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπον ἐντρέπομαι,conditional — εἰ καί concession — he owns the narrator's verdict of v. 2 word for word; leans on ἐκδικήσω
5
διά γε τὸ παρέχειν μοι κόπον τὴν χήραν ταύτηνcause — διά γε + articular infinitive — naked self-interest, not justice; forward-leaning on ἐκδικήσω
ἐκδικήσω αὐτήν,content — the resolve — the future of the widow's own imperative
ἵνα μὴ εἰς τέλος ἐρχομένη ὑπωπιάζῃ με.purpose — ὑπωπιάζω — literally 'give a black eye': the widow as relentless boxer
vv. 6–8 — the application: how much more God, and the closing question
6
Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος·independent — the narrator's κύριος — Jesus himself draws the lesson
Ἀκούσατεcontent — the summons to attend
τί ὁ κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας λέγει·content — indirect question — 'judge of unrighteousness,' Hebraic genitive of quality
7
ὁ δὲ θεὸς οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτοῦcontent — the a fortiori — οὐ μή + subjunctive, the strongest assurance, cast as a question
τῶν βοώντων αὐτῷ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός,participial — substantivized participle — the elect as the praying widow, ceaseless by day and night
καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς;content — the crux — μακροθυμεῖ laid as a second indicative question; construal and punctuation debated (see text note)
8
λέγω ὑμῖνcontent — the solemn assurance-formula
ὅτι ποιήσει τὴν ἐκδίκησιν αὐτῶν ἐν τάχει.content — ἐν τάχει — soon, or suddenly when it comes; the delay is not indifference
πλὴν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐλθὼν ἆρα εὑρήσει τὴν πίστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς;content — πλήν pivots from God's faithfulness to ours; ἆρα expects a doubtful answer — answered in this chapter by a blind beggar (v. 42)
The Pharisee and the tax collector 18:9–14
vv. 9–10 — the frame: the target audience and the two men
9
Εἶπεν δὲ καὶ πρός τιναςindependent — the audience diagnosed in advance — the second narrator-stated purpose-frame
τοὺς πεποιθότας ἐφ’ ἑαυτοῖςparticipial — perfect participle — settled self-confidence, misplaced onto the self
ὅτι εἰσὶν δίκαιοιcontent — the content of the confidence — δίκαιοι claimed; contrast δεδικαιωμένος (v. 14)
καὶ ἐξουθενοῦντας τοὺς λοιποὺςparticipial — the twin symptom — contempt for 'the rest' (the Pharisee's very word, v. 11)
τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην·phrase modifier — the postponed object of εἶπεν — the frame closes onto the story
10
Ἄνθρωποι δύο ἀνέβησαν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸνcontent — the story opens — 'going up' to the temple mount
προσεύξασθαι,purpose — purpose infinitive — one errand, two prayers
ὁ εἷς Φαρισαῖος καὶ ὁ ἕτερος τελώνης.phrase modifier — verbless apposition — paragon of piety and byword for sin
vv. 11–12 — the Pharisee's prayer: thanksgiving without petition
11
ὁ Φαρισαῖος σταθεὶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ταῦτα προσηύχετο·content — πρὸς ἑαυτόν — 'by himself' (with standing) or 'to himself' (with praying)? the noted crux, kept audible both ways
Ὁ θεός, εὐχαριστῶ σοιcontent — a thanksgiving with no petition — nothing asked, because nothing felt lacking
ὅτι οὐκ εἰμὶ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων,content — gratitude by comparison — thanks defined by other men's sins
ἅρπαγες, ἄδικοι, μοιχοί,phrase modifier — verbless apposition — the catalogue of the despised
ἢ καὶ ὡς οὗτος ὁ τελώνης·comparative — contemptuous deixis — οὗτος, 'this one,' standing within earshot
12
νηστεύω δὶς τοῦ σαββάτου,content — supererogation — the Law required one fast a year (the Day of Atonement)
ἀποδεκατῶ πάντα ὅσα κτῶμαι.content — tithing even on acquisitions — merit paraded as prayer
vv. 13–14 — the tax collector's plea and the verdict
13
ὁ δὲ τελώνης μακρόθεν ἑστὼς οὐκ ἤθελεν οὐδὲ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπᾶραι εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν,content — posture as theology — distance and downcast eyes, the Pharisee's stance reversed point by point
ἀλλ’ ἔτυπτεν τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦcontent — iterative imperfect — the gesture of grief and contrition
λέγων·participial — the speech-participle
Ὁ θεός, ἱλάσθητί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ.content — ἱλάσθητι — atonement language, prayed beside the sacrifices; the article owns the title: 'the sinner,' as if the only one
14
λέγω ὑμῖν,content — Jesus resumes in his own voice — the verdict-formula
κατέβη οὗτος δεδικαιωμένος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ παρ’ ἐκεῖνον·content — δεδικαιωμένος — perfect divine passive, declared righteous: the forensic verdict in narrative; παρ’ ἐκεῖνον, comparative παρά
ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτὸν ταπεινωθήσεται,cause — the reversal maxim (cf. 14:11) — first arm
ὁ δὲ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.cause — the chiastic counter-arm — both futures divine passives: God does the humbling and the exalting
Letting the children come 18:15–17
15
Προσέφερον δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ βρέφηindependent — iterative imperfect; βρέφη — Luke's heightening word: even nursing babies
ἵνα αὐτῶν ἅπτηται·purpose — the blessing-touch sought
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἐπετίμων
ἐπετίμων αὐτοῖς.independent — iterative imperfect — the misaimed rebuke (the same verb the crowd will aim at the beggar, v. 39)
16
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσεκαλέσατο αὐτὰindependent — the correction — αὐτά, the infants themselves summoned
λέγων·participial — the speech-participle
Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία ἔρχεσθαι πρός μεcontent — the permit-command
καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά,content — present prohibition — stop hindering
τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.cause — the γάρ-ground — τῶν τοιούτων fronted: of such a kind, not these alone
17
ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,content — the amen-formula — the solemn seal
ὃς ἂν μὴ δέξηται τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον,relative — conditional-relative protasis — δέξηται: the kingdom received, not achieved; leans on εἰσέλθῃ
οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς αὐτήν.content — οὐ μή + subjunctive — the strongest denial: the only door is a child's empty hands
The rich ruler and the cost of the kingdom 18:18–30
vv. 18–23 — the ruler: one thing still lacking
18
Καὶ ἐπηρώτησέν τις αὐτὸν ἄρχωνindependent — only Luke makes him an ἄρχων — a ruler; the question-frame
λέγων·participial — the speech-participle
Διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω;content — τί ποιήσας — life assumed to be a doing; 'Good Teacher' becomes the hinge of the reply
19
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — the reply-frame
Τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν;content — the famous crux — the epithet pressed to its source, not disowned; the christological edge left open
οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός.content — verbless maxim — εἷς ὁ θεός, the Shema's One
20
τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας·content — the second table — the duties a neighbor can audit
Μὴ μοιχεύσῃς,content — Exod 20:14 — the seventh; Luke's order puts it first (as LXX Deut 5)
Μὴ φονεύσῃς,content — Exod 20:13 — the sixth
Μὴ κλέψῃς,content — Exod 20:15 — the eighth
Μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς,content — Exod 20:16 — the ninth
Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα.content — Exod 20:12 — the fifth, closing the recitation
21
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν·independent — the reply-frame
Ταῦτα πάντα ἐφύλαξα ἐκ νεότητος.content — the sincere claim — measured by the outward letter, complete; about to be searched
22
ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the demand-frame
Ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει·content — ἔτι ἕν — the single decisive deficit behind a kept second table: the first commandment
πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησονcontent — the divestment — πάντα fronted: all of it
καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς,content — διάδος — distribute piecemeal, to the destitute
καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς,content — the promise inside the command — wealth relocated, not annihilated
καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι.content — the goal — discipleship; what the beggar will do unbidden (v. 43)
23
ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα περίλυπος ἐγενήθη,independent — περίλυπος — grief all around; unlike Mark's rich man, Luke's ruler is not said to leave
ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα.cause — the narrator's γάρ — the idol named at last
vv. 24–27 — the camel, the needle, and what God can do
24
Ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς περίλυπον γενόμενονparticipial — preposed circumstantial with participle of indirect discourse — leans on εἶπεν; ἰδὼν αὐτόν read by the best text (see text note)
εἶπεν·independent — the comment-frame
Πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσπορεύονται·content — exclamatory πῶς — the case become a principle, against the age's equation of wealth with blessing
25
εὐκοπώτερον γάρ ἐστιν κάμηλον διὰ τρήματος βελόνης εἰσελθεῖνcause — the hyperbole — largest beast, smallest aperture: impossibility, not mere difficulty; βελόνη, Luke's precise surgeon's needle
ἢ πλούσιον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν.comparative — the ἤ-member — elliptical second term of the comparison
26
εἶπαν δὲ οἱ ἀκούσαντες·independent — the objection-frame
Καὶ τίς δύναται σωθῆναι;content — consecutive καί — if not the blessed rich, then no one; the right question at last
27
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν·independent — the resolution-frame
Τὰ ἀδύνατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δυνατὰ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ἐστιν.content — παρά twice — two spheres of reckoning; salvation moved from human achievement to divine gift (Gen 18:14)
vv. 28–30 — Peter's 'we left our own,' and the manifold promise
28
Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Πέτρος·independent — the spokesman ventures
Ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς ἀφέντες τὰ ἴδια ἠκολουθήσαμέν σοι.content — emphatic ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς — we, unlike the ruler; τὰ ἴδια, 'our own,' the reading here against the parallels' 'all' (see text note)
29
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the promise-frame
Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖνcontent — the amen-formula
ὅτι οὐδείς ἐστινcontent — the sweeping negative awaiting its answering relative
ὃς ἀφῆκεν οἰκίαν ἢ γυναῖκα ἢ ἀδελφοὺς ἢ γονεῖς ἢ τέκνα ἕνεκεν τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ,relative — the catalogue of leavings — Luke alone includes 'wife'; the motive-clause guards it: for the kingdom, not for asceticism
30
ὃς οὐχὶ μὴ ἀπολάβῃ πολλαπλασίονα ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳrelative — the answering relative — οὐχὶ μή: no leaver goes unrepaid; πολλαπλασίονα, 'manifold,' where the parallels read 'hundredfold' (see text note)
καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τῷ ἐρχομένῳ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.phrase modifier — the second gift — the ruler's opening question (v. 18) answered for the leavers
The third passion prediction 18:31–34
31
Παραλαβὼν δὲ τοὺς δώδεκαparticipial — preposed circumstantial — private instruction; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς·independent — the prediction-frame — the third and fullest
Ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ,content — ἀναβαίνομεν — the ascent begun at 9:51 nears its goal
καὶ τελεσθήσεται πάντα τὰ γεγραμμένα διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·content — τελεσθήσεται — divine passive: the passion as fulfilment of all prophetic Scripture; τῷ υἱῷ, dative of reference
32
παραδοθήσεται γὰρ τοῖς ἔθνεσινcause — the γάρ unpacks 'everything written' — παραδοθήσεται, the passion's keyword; Luke alone names the Gentiles here
καὶ ἐμπαιχθήσεταιcause — fulfilled at 22:63; 23:11, 36
καὶ ὑβρισθήσεταιcause — ὑβρίζω — outrage, insolence heaped on him
καὶ ἐμπτυσθήσεται,cause — Isa 50:6 — the Servant's face not hidden from spitting
33
καὶ μαστιγώσαντες ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν,cause — the catena's darkest stroke — the Gentiles now the acting subject
καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἀναστήσεται.cause — the catena ends in resurrection — the third-day vindication 24:7 will quote back
34
καὶ αὐτοὶ οὐδὲν τούτων συνῆκαν,independent — the narrator's triple verdict begins — emphatic αὐτοί: the Twelve themselves
καὶ ἦν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο κεκρυμμένον ἀπ’ αὐτῶν,independent — periphrastic perfect, divine passive — a veiling, not merely a dullness
καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκον τὰ λεγόμενα.independent — the third stroke — the seeing who are blind, just before the blind man who sees (v. 41)
The blind man at Jericho 18:35–43
vv. 35–39 — the cry that will not be silenced
35
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἰεριχὼindependent — Septuagintal ἐγένετο with ἐν τῷ + infinitive — Luke places the healing on the approach (Mark: on leaving)
τυφλός τις ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸνindependent — asyndetic main clause inside the ἐγένετο-frame — παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, beside the way
ἐπαιτῶν.participial — manner participle — his livelihood and his station
36
ἀκούσας δὲ ὄχλου διαπορευομένουparticipial — preposed circumstantial — the blind perceive by ear; leans on ἐπυνθάνετο
ἐπυνθάνετοindependent — iterative imperfect — question after question down the roadside
τί εἴη τοῦτο.content — indirect question with optative εἴη — Luke's classical literary touch
37
ἀπήγγειλαν δὲ αὐτῷindependent — the report-frame
ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος παρέρχεται.content — recitative ὅτι — the crowd's label; the beggar will answer with a higher title
38
καὶ ἐβόησενindependent — ἐβόησεν — the elect 'crying out' of v. 7 embodied
λέγων·participial — the speech-participle
Ἰησοῦ υἱὲ Δαυίδ, ἐλέησόν με.content — the messianic title — the blind man sees what the Twelve could not (v. 34)
39
καὶ οἱ προάγοντες ἐπετίμων αὐτῷindependent — iterative imperfect — the crowd as obstacle; ἐπιτιμάω again (v. 15)
ἵνα σιγήσῃ·purpose — the content of the rebuke
αὐτὸς δὲ πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἔκραζεν·independent — emphatic αὐτός — opposition only raises the volume; the widow's persistence enacted
Υἱὲ Δαυίδ, ἐλέησόν με.content — the cry unchanged, louder
vv. 40–43 — stopped, healed, following in doxology
40
σταθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦςparticipial — σταθείς — the procession to Jerusalem halts for a beggar; leans on ἐκέλευσεν
ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἀχθῆναι πρὸς αὐτόν.independent — the summons — through the very crowd that hushed him
ἐγγίσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦparticipial — genitive absolute — leans on ἐπηρώτησεν
ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτόν·independent — the question that invites faith to speak
41
Τί σοι θέλεις ποιήσω;content — deliberative subjunctive — the blank check faith may fill (cf. Mark 10:36, 51)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν·independent — the reply-frame
Κύριε, ἵνα ἀναβλέψω.content — Κύριε — beyond the crowd's 'Nazarene'; elliptical ἵνα of petition
42
καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — the healing-frame — a bare word, no touch
Ἀνάβλεψον·content — the imperative effects what it commands
ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε.content — resultative perfect — σέσωκεν reaches past eyesight to salvation; the faith the Son of Man does find (v. 8)
43
καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνέβλεψεν,independent — παραχρῆμα — the Lukan 'at once'
καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷindependent — inceptive imperfect — the discipleship the ruler refused (v. 23)
δοξάζων τὸν θεόν.participial — manner participle — following as doxology
καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἰδὼν ἔδωκεν αἶνον τῷ θεῷ.independent — the chapter closes in public doxology — λαός, God's people, joining the healed man's praise
Analysis. Luke 18 pairs two Luke-only prayer parables with the Mark-10 sequence, and the layout shows both halves' grammar. The parables hang blue beneath their speech-frames, and both carry Luke's narrator-stated purpose as part of the frame itself: the πρὸς τὸ δεῖν purpose line under παραβολήν (v. 1 — pray always, do not lose heart) and the participial audience-diagnosis of v. 9 (τοὺς πεποιθότας … καὶ ἐξουθενοῦντας hanging on τινας, the postponed object τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην closing the frame). Inside the first parable the judge's soliloquy stacks the chapter's deepest lean: the εἰ καί concession and the διά γε grounds both lean forward, anchorless, on ἐκδικήσω — godlessness conceded, self-interest supplied, the verdict granted anyway — and the application runs as questions under Εἶπεν, ending on the πλήν question about finding faith on earth that v. 42 will quietly answer. The two prayers of vv. 11–13 sit as contrasting cnt blocks, thanksgiving-by-comparison under προσηύχετο against the one-line atonement plea under λέγων, with the παρ’ ἐκεῖνον verdict and the humbled/exalted chiasm grounded on κατέβη. From v. 15 the Markan dialogue column returns flush-left — frames at 0, speech hanging at 1, the Decalogue a cnt catena under οἶδας with its Exodus tags, the ἤ-member of the camel saying verbless under εὐκοπώτερον, Peter's ἰδοὺ ἡμεῖς answered by the οὐδείς … ὃς ἀφῆκεν … ὃς οὐχὶ μὴ ἀπολάβῃ chain, and the third prediction a cau catena of divine passives unpacking τελεσθήσεται — Luke alone framing the passion as the fulfilment of everything written through the prophets, with v. 34 hammering the triple incomprehension flush-left at 0. Cruxes are named in the tags rather than hidden: μακροθυμεῖ (v. 7) is laid as a second indicative question, its construal flagged; πρὸς ἑαυτόν (v. 11) is kept audible with both 'standing' and 'praying'; Τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; (v. 19) is deflection-to-the-source, the christological edge left open; τὰ ἴδια (v. 28) and πολλαπλασίονα (v. 30) are flagged against the parallels' 'all' and 'hundredfold'; and the blind man of vv. 35–43 — who cries Υἱὲ Δαυίδ where the crowd said only 'the Nazarene,' persists like the widow under the same ἐπετίμων the disciples aimed at the infants, and hears ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε — closes the chapter following and glorifying: the faith the Son of Man does find.