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Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 10

Class Notes

First Declension Nouns

The First Declension

The first declension encompasses primarily feminine nouns because they are characterized by certain endings and follow a specific pattern in their cases.

First Declension Endings:

 

Case Singular Plural
Nominative α / η αι
Genitive/Ablative ας / ης ῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental ᾳ / ῃ αις
Accusative αν / ην ας
Vocative

 

 α / η αι

Nominative Singular: Ends in α or η. The naming case, typically used for the subject.

Genitive/Ablative Singular: ας or ης. Genitive expresses limitation. Ablative emphasizes source or separation.

Dative/Locative/Instrumental Singular: ᾳ or ῃ, used for indirect objects. It is the case of personal association.

Accusative Singular: αν or ην, the direct object form.

Vocative Singular: Usually identical to the nominative and used for direct address.

Plural Forms: The nominative and vocative plural end is αι, genitive/ablative is ῶν, dative/locative/instrumental is αις (for indirect objects), and accusative plural is ας.

The Article Agreement

Nouns take articles and adjectives that agree in gender, number, and case. Feminine nouns take the feminine forms of articles and adjectives, and masculine nouns take masculine forms.

Feminine Definite Article Forms:

Case Singular Plural
Nominative ἡ αἱ
Genitive/Ablative τῆς τῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental τῇ ταῖς
Accusative τήν τάς

 

Masculine Definite Article Forms:

Although the First Declension is primarily feminine, a few masculine nouns belong to this declension (e.g., μαθητής, “disciple”; νεανίας, “young man”).

The masculine article forms applied to First Declension nouns are as follows:

Case Singular Plural
Nominative ὁ οἱ
Genitive/Ablative τοῦ τῶν
Dative/Locative/Instrumental τῷ τοῖς
Accusative τόν τούς

 

 

Examples of the article with First Declension Nouns:

  1. Feminine First Declension Example (χώρα – “country”):
    • Singular:
      • Nominative: ἡ χώρα – “the country”
      • Genitive/Ablative: τῆς χώρας – “of/from the country”
      • Dative/Locative/Instrumental: τῇ χώρᾳ – ” for/with/by the country”
      • Accusative: τήν χώραν – “the country” (direct object)
    • Plural:
      • Nominative: αἱ χῶραι – “the countries”
      • Genitive/Ablative: τῶν χωρῶν – ” of/from the countries”
      • Dative/Locative/Instrumental: ταῖς χώραις – ” for/with/by the countries”

        • […]

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 102024-11-10T07:07:03-08:00

Begotten (γεννάω)

Begotten (γεννάω) is predominately used regarding birth; however, it is not restricted in use to only producing a child. It is used in genealogies to connect the father with his children. Abraham begot Isaac, Matthew 1:2, and the results of an action. Paul begot the Corinthian saints, 1 Corinthians 4:15, and became a parent to Onesimus, Philemon 10. Therefore, begotten (γεννάω) is not limited to a birthing term. Its root meaning expresses producing something, hence, bringing forth.

While Joseph was considering how to deal with his fiancé who had become pregnant before he knew her, an angel appeared to him in a dream informing him that the thing that is begotten in Mary’s womb is from the Holy Spirit, Matthew 1:20. Although Christ had not been born at this time, God the Father and the Holy Spirit brought forth a body that was being developed in Mary’s womb. Around two years after Jesus’ birth (when he was begotten from the womb), three wisemen from the east came looking for Him because of the star that was prophesied about through Daniel, Matthew 2:1. Therefore, because of its underlying meaning, begotten (γεννάω) can relate to a child in the womb along with one who has been born.

Begotten (γεννάω) is also used for the condition in which a person is born along with how their birth came about. Some eunuchs are begotten, brought forth as a eunuch, from their mother’s womb, Matthew 19:12. The Pharisees accuse Jesus of being born out of fornication, John 8:41. They also accuse a man who was born blind of being begotten in sin due to his birth defect, John 9:34. Paul’s Roman citizenship was brought forth because of where and to […]

Begotten (γεννάω)2024-11-07T06:01:36-08:00

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 9

Class Notes

Imperfect Indicative Middle and Passive

The Imperfect Indicative Middle and Passive are grammatical construction that expresses an action being performed on the subject (passive voice) or by the subject for the subject’s benefit (middle voice) and occurring continuously or repeatedly in the past (imperfect tense). This tense is used when describing events that were ongoing, habitual, or repeated over a period of time, rather than a single, completed action.

The Imperfect Indicative Middle and Passive Endings:

Singular

1st Person:  – όμην

2nd Person: – ου

3rd Person: – ετο

Plural

1st Person: – όμεθα

2nd Person: – εσθε

3rd Person: – οντο

The imperfect Tense indicated action in the past, up to the point of writing. It is ongoing or repetitive action occurring in the past.

The indicative mood is used to express a statement as factual or reality. Therefore, the action is perceived as real or certain.

The passive voice emphasis that action of the verb being performed on the subject. Where the middle expresses the subject performs the action and is directly involved in its effect or outcome; therefore, done for the subject’s own benefit, on themselves, or in some reciprocal manner.

Imperfect Indicative Middle/Passive conjugation using λύω (to loose).

Singular

1st Person: ἐλυόμην – I was loosing (for myself)

2nd Person: ἐλύου – You were loosing (for yourself)

3rd Person: ἐλύετο – He/She/It was loosing (for him/her/itself)

Plural

1st Person: ἐλυόμεθα – We were loosing (for ourselves)

2nd Person: ἐλύεσθε – You all were loosing (for yourselves)

3rd Person: ἐλύοντο – They were loosing (for themselves)

Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive Examples:

ἐγίνετο (from γίνομαι – “to become” or “to […]

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 92024-11-03T15:36:32-08:00

Abstain (ἀπέχω)

Abstain (ἀπέχω) comes from the root “to have or hold (εχω)”, expressing the concepts of paid in full or sufficiency. In its general use it may also conveying the idea of deliberately avoiding or refraining from something; hence, abstain. Therefore, not holding onto something.

In expressing the concept of sufficiency, Paul uses ἀπέχω in Philippians 4:18 concerning the support he received from Epaphroditus, who was sent by the assembly to fulfill Paul’s physical needs. He conveys to them that he has no need for more, or they may abstain from sending more, because they have met the need.

The village of Emmaus is fully sixty stadia, approximately seven miles, from Jerusalem, Luke 24:13. ἀπέχω (apecho) is used to express its full distance being sufficiently completed by sixty stadia.

When speaking to the Jews about their righteous acts, Jesus warns them to not do them with the intent for others to see them. The one who does work in this manner receives in full what he deserves by the glory he acquired from men, Matthew 6:2, and, therefore, will not be rewarded by God.

In these latter times that we live in, we have many who have departed from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons. These are the pastors that in hypocrisy speak lies, having their own conscience seared, forbidding marriage and teaching abstaining from food, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth, 1 Timothy 4:3.

An aspect of the desirous will of God is for the saint to abstain from fornication, 1 Thessalonians 4:3. Each of us is to know how to possess his own body in sanctification and honor, not in the […]

Abstain (ἀπέχω)2024-10-31T05:42:49-07:00

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 8

Class Notes

Prepositions

Prepositions are adverbs specialized to define more clearly the meaning of case, many of which came to be used in composition with verbs. When the word functions as an adverb it does not need an object; however, when serving as a preposition it required an object.

Some words can function as either prepositions or adverbs, depending on whether they have an object:

 

Preposition: “She walked across the bridge.” (“Across” is a preposition because it relates to “the bridge.”)

 

Adverb: “She walked across.” (“Across” functions as an adverb because it has no object and modifies the verb “walked.”)

The Greek preposition is used to better define the idea of case. They assist the cases by aiding in clarifying the meaning of the case. The case governs the meaning of the preposition. Therefore, the preposition does not give the meaning to the case, for they do not govern the case.

As an example for how the meaning of the preposition is governed by the case it is used with we can examine the different meanings of παρά (para) based upon what case the noun is expressing.  παρά (para) primarily means “beside,” “alongside,” or “near. The English word parallel is derived from παράλληλος (parallēlos), which is a compound of two parts: παρά (para): Meaning “beside” or “alongside.” ἀλληλος (allēlos): Meaning “one another.”

Ablative: from the side of.

Locative: by the side of.

Accusative: beside, beyond, against (contrary to).

By the nature of the Nominative and Vocative cases, they do not use prepositions. Therefore, the cases that use prepositions are the genitive, ablative, dative, locative, instrumental, and accusative.

When used in compound with the verbs the prepositions have two common uses.

The preposition is merely local. I throw out combines ἐκ […]

Biblical Greek First Year Lesson 82024-10-25T14:28:29-07:00
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