independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended
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Plucking grain on the Sabbath 12:1–8
vv. 1–2 — the plucking and the charge
1
Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἐπορεύθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς σάββασιν διὰ τῶν σπορίμων·independent — the temporal heading — the Sabbath controversies open; τοῖς σάββασιν, the chapter's contested word
οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπείνασανindependent — the hunger — the fact the defense will lean on (ἐπείνασεν, v. 3)
καὶ ἤρξαντο τίλλειν στάχυας καὶ ἐσθίειν.independent — plucking by hand permitted (Deut 23:25) — the charge is Sabbath labor, not theft
2
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες εἶπαν αὐτῷ·independent — ἰδόντες — the surveillance motif begins; the speech-frame
Ἰδοὺ οἱ μαθηταί σου ποιοῦσινcontent — the charge — 'your disciples,' aimed through them at the teacher
ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν σαββάτῳ.relative — reaping, in rabbinic reckoning — one of the thirty-nine forbidden labors
vv. 3–8 — the answer: David, the priests, Hosea, the Son of Man
3
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the reply frame — one εἶπεν carries the whole defense (vv. 3–8)
Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτεcontent — the counter-question — scribal expertise turned against itself (cf. 12:5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31)
τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδcontent — indirect question — 1 Sam 21:1–6: David at Nob
ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ;conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — hunger names the precedent's point of contact with v. 1
4
πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦcontent — the indirect question resumed with πῶς — the tent at Nob called God's house
καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγεν,content — singular ἔφαγεν printed ('he ate') — the rival plural ἔφαγον is the noted crux
ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ,relative — neuter ὃ over the plural ἄρτους — the act as a whole unlawful; ἐξόν, the participle of ἔξεστιν (v. 2)
εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις;phrase modifier — exceptive εἰ μή — Lev 24:5–9: the priests' bread, eaten by laymen
5
ἢ οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε ἐν τῷ νόμῳcontent — the second precedent — now from the Torah itself, not the Prophets' narrative
ὅτι τοῖς σάββασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τὸ σάββατον βεβηλοῦσινcontent — Num 28:9–10 — the Sabbath offerings double the labor; βεβηλοῦσιν, a deliberately hard word
καὶ ἀναίτιοί εἰσιν;content — ἀναίτιοι — the word returns at v. 7: the disciples share the priests' innocence
6
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖνcontent — the authoritative λέγω ὑμῖν — from precedent to pronouncement
ὅτι τοῦ ἱεροῦ μεῖζόν ἐστιν ὧδε.content — μεῖζον neuter — 'something greater': the kingdom-presence, not baldly 'someone'; the a-fortiori hinge
7
εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτεconditional — second-class condition, contrary to fact — you did not know; protasis leaning on the apodosis below
τί ἐστιν·content — indirect question — the citation formula of 9:13 repeated verbatim
Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν,content — Hos 6:6 — cited a second time (9:13); mercy as the Law's weightier sense
οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους.content — ἄν + aorist — the unreal apodosis; τοὺς ἀναιτίους echoes v. 5
8
κύριος γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ σαββάτου ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.cause — the christological ground — the argument ends in authority, not casuistry
The man with the withered hand 12:9–14
vv. 9–10 — the test question
9
Καὶ μεταβὰς ἐκεῖθενparticipial — preposed circumstantial — leans on ἦλθεν; the controversy moves indoors
ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτῶν.independent — αὐτῶν — 'their' synagogue: the distance between Jesus and his opponents already audible
10
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος χεῖρα ἔχων ξηράν.independent — verbless ἰδού-presentation — the test case simply stands there
καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸνindependent — the interrogation — the man is a pretext, the question a trap
λέγοντες·participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame
Εἰ ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν θεραπεῦσαι;content — interrogative εἰ — ἔξεστιν a third time; in Mark Jesus asks this question, here it is asked of him
ἵνα κατηγορήσωσιν αὐτοῦ.purpose — the narrator unmasks the motive — κατηγορεῖν, the courtroom verb; v. 14 is already in view
vv. 11–13 — the sheep, the man, the healing
11
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the reply frame
Τίς ἔσται ἐξ ὑμῶν ἄνθρωποςcontent — the appeal to their own practice — only Matthew gives this Sabbath argument here
ὃς ἕξει πρόβατον ἕν,relative — πρόβατον ἕν — a single sheep: the poor man's whole flock, so the rescue is certain
καὶ ἐὰν ἐμπέσῃ τοῦτο τοῖς σάββασιν εἰς βόθυνον,conditional — protasis leaning forward on the apodosis below — the Sabbath emergency
οὐχὶ κρατήσει αὐτὸ καὶ ἐγερεῖ;content — οὐχί expects yes — their own halakhah concedes the rescue; ἐγερεῖ, the raising verb
12
πόσῳ οὖν διαφέρει ἄνθρωπος προβάτου.content — the qal wahomer drawn — πόσῳ οὖν: from sheep to man (cf. 6:26; 10:31)
ὥστε ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν καλῶς ποιεῖν.purpose — ὥστε + indicative — the inference drawn (typed pur; no result key): ἔξεστιν answers the trap's ἔξεστιν
13
τότε λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ·independent — historic present λέγει — the argument turns to act
Ἔκτεινόν σου τὴν χεῖρα.content — the healing is a bare command — no touch, no visible 'work' for the accusers
καὶ ἐξέτεινεν,independent — the obedience — the withered hand does the impossible thing
καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ὑγιὴς ὡς ἡ ἄλλη.independent — divine passive ἀπεκατεστάθη — restoration, the double augment noted by the grammars
v. 14 — the plot
14
ἐξελθόντες δὲ οἱ Φαρισαῖοιparticipial — preposed aorist participle — they exit the synagogue to plot; leans on ἔλαβον
συμβούλιον ἔλαβον κατ' αὐτοῦindependent — συμβούλιον λαμβάνειν — a Matthean idiom (22:15; 27:1, 7; 28:12); the passion begins here
ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν.purpose — ὅπως of the deliberated aim — ἀπολέσωσιν: the mercy-question ends in a death plan
The chosen Servant — Isaiah 42 fulfilled 12:15–21
vv. 15–16 — withdrawal, healing, silence
15
Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς γνοὺςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — aware of the plot; leans on ἀνεχώρησεν
ἀνεχώρησεν ἐκεῖθεν.independent — ἀνεχώρησεν — Matthew's withdrawal verb (2:14; 4:12; 14:13): retreat, not defeat
καὶ ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ πολλοί,independent — πολλοί read with most editions — a few witnesses add ὄχλοι ('great crowds')
καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς πάντας,independent — πάντας — the healing unrestricted, the publicity refused
16
καὶ ἐπετίμησεν αὐτοῖςindependent — ἐπετίμησεν — the injunction to silence (cf. 8:4; 9:30; 16:20)
ἵνα μὴ φανερὸν αὐτὸν ποιήσωσιν·purpose — ἵνα of the command's content-purpose — hiddenness as policy
vv. 17–21 — the formula quotation: Isaiah 42:1–4, the Gospel's longest
17
ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος·purpose — the fulfillment formula — the silence itself fulfils Scripture; Matthew's longest formula citation follows
18
Ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς μουcontent — Isa 42:1 — παῖς: servant, or child; the baptismal voice (3:17) echoes through the Song
ὃν ᾑρέτισα,relative — ᾑρέτισα — Matthew's rendering, closer to the Hebrew 'my chosen' than the LXX's Jacob-Israel gloss
ὁ ἀγαπητός μουphrase modifier — verbless apposition — ὁ ἀγαπητός, the very word of 3:17 and 17:5
εἰς ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου·relative — εὐδόκησεν — the baptismal verb; Servant and Son fused
θήσω τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπ' αὐτόν,content — the Spirit-anointing — narrated at 3:16, invoked again at v. 28
καὶ κρίσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἀπαγγελεῖ.content — κρίσις — justice/judgment, the Song's keyword (vv. 18, 20); τοῖς ἔθνεσιν anticipates 28:19
19
οὐκ ἐρίσει οὐδὲ κραυγάσει,content — the unquarreling Servant — the ground of the withdrawal of v. 15
οὐδὲ ἀκούσει τις ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ.content — no street-voice — the ground of the silence commanded in v. 16
20
κάλαμον συντετριμμένον οὐ κατεάξειcontent — the bruised reed — gentleness toward the broken: the healed 'all' of v. 15
καὶ λίνον τυφόμενον οὐ σβέσει,content — the smoldering wick — the second image of the almost-extinguished
ἕως ἂν ἐκβάλῃ εἰς νῖκος τὴν κρίσιν.conditional — temporal ἕως ἄν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — εἰς νῖκος: gentleness bounded by triumph
21
καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν.content — Isa 42:4 LXX — the Song ends on the Gentiles' hope, framing the Gospel with 28:19
The Beelzebul controversy — one long answer 12:22–37
vv. 22–24 — the healing and the two verdicts
22
Τότε προσηνέχθη αὐτῷ δαιμονιζόμενος τυφλὸς καὶ κωφός·independent — τυφλὸς καὶ κωφός printed — some witnesses give only one term; the triple affliction sharpens the sign
καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτόν,independent — the exorcism told in one verb — the debate, not the deed, is Matthew's interest
ὥστε τὸν κωφὸν λαλεῖν καὶ βλέπειν.purpose — ὥστε + infinitive — actual result (typed pur; no result key): speech and sight restored
23
καὶ ἐξίσταντο πάντες οἱ ὄχλοιindependent — iterative imperfect — the amazement runs on
καὶ ἔλεγον·independent — the crowd's speech-frame
Μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς Δαυίδ;content — μήτι — the hesitant, hoping question: surely not… or could he be? The Davidic title from the genealogy
24
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἀκούσαντες εἶπον·independent — ἀκούσαντες — they answer the crowd's question, not the healing
Οὗτος οὐκ ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ Βεελζεβοὺλ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων.content — the Beelzebul charge — 9:34 repeated and now answered; contemptuous οὗτος
vv. 25–30 — the divided kingdom and the strong man
25
εἰδὼς δὲ τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶνparticipial — preposed causal participle — he answers what they said among themselves; leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — one εἶπεν — the whole speech of vv. 25–37 hangs from this verb
Πᾶσα βασιλεία μερισθεῖσα καθ' ἑαυτῆς ἐρημοῦται,content — the axiom — μερισθεῖσα: division as self-destruction
καὶ πᾶσα πόλις ἢ οἰκία μερισθεῖσα καθ' ἑαυτῆς οὐ σταθήσεται.content — the axiom scaled down — kingdom, city, house: no unit survives division
26
καὶ εἰ ὁ Σατανᾶς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἐκβάλλει,conditional — first εἰ-protasis, leaning forward — their charge granted for argument's sake
ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν ἐμερίσθη·content — the absurdity — the axiom's verb applied to Satan
πῶς οὖν σταθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ;content — the rhetorical collapse — σταθήσεται from v. 25; Satan has a βασιλεία to lose
27
καὶ εἰ ἐγὼ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια,conditional — second εἰ-protasis — the charge now in the first person
οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν;content — the ad hominem — 'your sons,' the Pharisees' own exorcists, caught by the same logic
διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὶ κριταὶ ἔσονται ὑμῶν.content — the verdict handed to their own — κριταί: the accusers accused
28
εἰ δὲ ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ ἐγὼ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια,conditional — third εἰ-protasis — the true alternative: ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ, the Servant's anointing (v. 18)
ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.content — ἄρα ἔφθασεν — 'has arrived,' not merely drawn near: the chapter's most weighed aorist
29
ἢ πῶς δύναταί τις εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἁρπάσαι,content — the strong-man parable — ὁ ἰσχυρός: Satan's house entered (cf. Isa 49:24–25)
ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον δήσῃ τὸν ἰσχυρόν;conditional — exceptive ἐὰν μή, following its clause — the binding precedes the plunder: the exorcisms presuppose Satan bound
καὶ τότε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει.content — διαρπάσει — the intensified plunder-verb: every exorcism is spoil taken
30
ὁ μὴ ὢν μετ' ἐμοῦ κατ' ἐμοῦ ἐστιν,content — no neutrality — μετ' ἐμοῦ or κατ' ἐμοῦ: the middle ground abolished
καὶ ὁ μὴ συνάγων μετ' ἐμοῦ σκορπίζει.content — gathering or scattering — the shepherd's image; the inverse stands at Mark 9:40
vv. 31–32 — blasphemy against the Spirit
31
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν,content — διὰ τοῦτο — the warning drawn from the charge just made
πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις,content — the breadth first — πᾶσα: forgiveness is the rule, divine passive ἀφεθήσεται
ἡ δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται.content — the one exception — calling the Spirit's work demonic (v. 24), the sin here in progress
32
καὶ ὃς ἐὰν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ·content — indefinite relative with conditional force — a word against the veiled Son of Man is remissible
ὃς δ' ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ οὔτε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι.content — οὔτε … οὔτε — the two-age formula: unforgivable absolutely, not merely now
vv. 33–37 — the tree, the treasure, the words
33
Ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον καλὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ καλόν,content — the either — ποιήσατε: judge the tree and fruit together (cf. 7:16–20)
ἢ ποιήσατε τὸ δένδρον σαπρὸν καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ σαπρόν·content — the or — you may not call the fruit (the exorcism) bad and the tree's power good
ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον γινώσκεται.cause — the γάρ ground — the epistemic rule the Pharisees have violated
34
γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν,content — verbless vocative — the Baptist's word (3:7) now on Jesus' lips; the bad tree named
πῶς δύνασθε ἀγαθὰ λαλεῖνcontent — the impossibility — speech cannot rise above its source
πονηροὶ ὄντες;participial — causal participle — the nature that disables the speech
ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ περισσεύματος τῆς καρδίας τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ.cause — the maxim — περίσσευμα: the mouth spills what the heart holds
35
ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά,content — θησαυρός — the heart as storehouse; some witnesses add τῆς καρδίας; ἐκβάλλει, the chapter's exorcism verb, reused
καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει πονηρά.content — the dark mirror — πονηρός three times: man, treasure, product
36
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖνcontent — the second λέγω ὑμῖν — the warning sharpened to the judgment day
ὅτι πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργὸνcontent — casus pendens — the object suspended, resumed by περὶ αὐτοῦ below; ἀργόν: workless, idle
ὃ λαλήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποιrelative — the relative inside the suspension — λαλεῖν a third time
ἀποδώσουσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως·content — the resumption — ἀποδώσουσιν λόγον: a word rendered for every word; κρίσις from v. 18 returns as assize
37
ἐκ γὰρ τῶν λόγων σου δικαιωθήσῃ,cause — the γάρ ground, turned singular — σου: each hearer alone before the standard
καὶ ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου καταδικασθήσῃ.cause — καταδικασθήσῃ — the verb of v. 7: those who condemned the guiltless face condemnation by their own words
The sign of Jonah and the returning spirit 12:38–45
vv. 38–39 — the demand and the refusal
38
Τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίωνindependent — ἀπεκρίθησαν — they 'answer' the blasphemy warning with a demand for credentials
λέγοντες·participial — pleonastic speech-participle — the frame
Διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.content — Διδάσκαλε — the outsider's address in Matthew; a sign demanded after a chapter of them
39
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶςparticipial — preposed participle — leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — the reply frame — the speech runs to v. 45
Γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ,content — μοιχαλίς — adulterous in the prophets' sense: faithless to its God (Hos 1–3)
καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ τοῦ προφήτου.content — divine passive δοθήσεται — one sign only, and it is a burial
vv. 40–42 — Jonah and the Queen of the South
40
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἦν Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας,comparative — Jon 1:17 (2:1 LXX) — the ὥσπερ half of the correlation, leaning forward on the οὕτως clause
οὕτως ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας.content — the sign decoded — the first passion prediction in figure; 'heart of the earth,' the tomb
41
ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτηςcontent — ἀναστήσονται — pagan Nineveh stands up in court against Israel's teachers
καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν,content — κατακρινοῦσιν — condemnation by comparison
ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ,cause — Jon 3:5 — Nineveh repented at one sermon from a reluctant prophet
καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε.content — verbless ἰδού-clause — πλεῖον neuter, as μεῖζον in v. 6: the refrain of surpassing presence
42
βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτηςcontent — 1 Kgs 10:1–10 — the queen of Sheba; ἐγερθήσεται pairs with ἀναστήσονται
καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτήν,content — the second witness — a Gentile woman against 'this generation'
ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος,cause — she traveled the world for wisdom; this generation will not cross the room
καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε.content — the refrain doubled — greater than prophet and than king: temple (v. 6), Jonah, Solomon
vv. 43–45 — the returning spirit: the parable of the empty house
43
Ὅταν δὲ τὸ ἀκάθαρτον πνεῦμα ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου,conditional — temporal ὅταν (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leaning forward; the exorcism theme returns as parable
διέρχεται δι' ἀνύδρων τόπωνcontent — narrative present — ἄνυδροι τόποι, the demons' desert haunt
ζητοῦν ἀνάπαυσιν,participial — purpose-tinged participle — the restless spirit
καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει.content — the failed search — no rest outside the man
44
τότε λέγει·content — speech within the speech — the demon's soliloquy framed
Εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου ἐπιστρέψωcontent — τὸν οἶκόν μου — the spirit still calls the man its property
ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον·relative — ὅθεν — the eviction remembered, not accepted
καὶ ἐλθὸνparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans on εὑρίσκει; the editions' ἐλθόν, with variants noted
εὑρίσκει σχολάζοντα σεσαρωμένον καὶ κεκοσμημένον.content — the fatal triad — σχολάζοντα: vacant; cleansed but unoccupied
45
τότε πορεύεταιcontent — narrative present — the counter-move
καὶ παραλαμβάνει μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύματα πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ,content — ἑπτά — fullness of evil; πονηρότερα picks up the chapter's πονηρός-thread
καὶ εἰσελθόνταparticipial — preposed aorist participle, neuter plural — leans on κατοικεῖ
κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ·content — neuter plural subject with singular κατοικεῖ — tagged, not smoothed; κατοικεῖν: permanent residence now
καὶ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.content — the proverb of the worse end — cf. 2 Pet 2:20
οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ.content — the application — only Matthew: the swept, empty house is 'this evil generation' (v. 39)
The true family 12:46–50
vv. 46–47 — the family outside
46
Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος τοῖς ὄχλοιςparticipial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the interruption arrives mid-speech
ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ εἱστήκεισαν ἔξωindependent — ἔξω — the placement is the point: the natural family outside, the disciples within
ζητοῦντες αὐτῷ λαλῆσαι.participial — purpose participle — ζητεῖν again; their errand is left unstated
47
εἶπεν δέ τις αὐτῷ·independent — the whole verse is absent from ℵ*, B, L and bracketed in some editions — printed here, since v. 48 presupposes the report
Ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἔξω ἑστήκασινcontent — the report — v. 46 relayed in the second person; ἔξω again
ζητοῦντές σοι λαλῆσαι.participial — the participle repeated verbatim from v. 46
vv. 48–50 — the family redefined
48
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶςparticipial — preposed participle — leans on εἶπεν
εἶπεν τῷ λέγοντι αὐτῷ·independent — the reply frame — addressed to the messenger, spoken over the crowd
Τίς ἐστιν ἡ μήτηρ μου,content — the shocking question — kinship itself put in question
καὶ τίνες εἰσὶν οἱ ἀδελφοί μου;content — the second half — not a repudiation but a redefinition in progress
49
καὶ ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦparticipial — preposed aorist participle — the gesture answers the question before the words do; ἐκτείνας echoes v. 13
εἶπεν·independent — the speech-frame
Ἰδοὺ ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου·content — verbless ἰδού-clause — the ἰδού of vv. 46–47 turned around: the family found inside
50
ὅστις γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς, αὐτός μου ἀδελφὸς καὶ ἀδελφὴ καὶ μήτηρ ἐστίν.content — indefinite relative resumed by αὐτός — kinship by obedience (7:21); ἀδελφή added: sisters expressly included; the Father in heaven, no earthly father named
Analysis. Matthew 12 is the chapter where the Sabbath question becomes the plot to kill (v. 14), and the layout alternates short narrative frames with long suspended answers. The narrative lines sit flush left — τότε and δέ rather than Mark's καί, the historic present λέγει flagged at v. 13 — and every word of Jesus hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: the two-precedent Sabbath defense under εἶπεν (v. 3), with the Hosea citation nested three deep inside the indirect question 'what this means'; the sheep-in-the-pit argument under εἶπεν (v. 11); and the chapter's great central catena, vv. 25–37, thirteen verses of continuous speech held at constant depth 1 under the single εἶπεν of v. 25 — divided kingdom, plundered strong man, the unforgivable blasphemy, the tree and its fruit, the idle words — so that the page itself shows one unbroken answer to the Beelzebul charge. Conditional protases lean forward, anchorless, on their apodoses: εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε (v. 7, contrary to fact), ἐὰν ἐμπέσῃ (v. 11), the three parallel εἰ-protases of vv. 26–28 that climax in ἄρα ἔφθασεν — the kingdom has arrived — and the temporal ὅταν of v. 43 (typed cnd). At the chapter's hinge stands Matthew's longest formula quotation: ἵνα πληρωθῇ (v. 17) hangs as purpose under ἐπετίμησεν — the command to silence itself fulfils Isa 42:1–4 — and the Servant Song descends as a coordinate catena under λέγοντος: the unquarreling voice, the unbroken reed, the nations' hope. Cruxes the layout takes a side on or flags: at v. 4 the singular ἔφαγεν is printed ('he ate,' against the plural ἔφαγον); μεῖζον and πλεῖον (vv. 6, 41–42) are kept neuter — 'something greater'; μήτι in v. 23 is rendered as the crowd's hesitant, hopeful question; the casus pendens of v. 36 (πᾶν ῥῆμα ἀργόν … περὶ αὐτοῦ) is shown as a suspended line resumed; v. 47, absent from ℵ*, B and others, is printed with the bracket noted, since the question of v. 48 presupposes the report; and in v. 45 the neuter plural εἰσελθόντα with singular κατοικεῖ is tagged rather than smoothed.