Grammatical Analysis of the scriptures.ppt

Grammatical analysis

1. BIB 413 BIBLICAL EXEGESIS IBIB 413 BIBLICAL EXEGESIS I
GRAMMATICAL ANALYSISGRAMMATICAL ANALYSIS
© © By Simbarashe MusvosviBy Simbarashe Musvosvi

2. There is a need to get meaning from There is a need to get meaning from
analysing grammar, vocabulary and syntax.analysing grammar, vocabulary and syntax.
Know the categories of words: nouns, Know the categories of words: nouns,
pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions, conjunctions, and articles.prepositions, conjunctions, and articles.

3. Determine subject, predicate, (verb, object – Determine subject, predicate, (verb, object –
direct and indirect), modifiers – adjectives direct and indirect), modifiers – adjectives
and adverbs. Determine what the modifier is and adverbs. Determine what the modifier is
modifying by considering gender and case.modifying by considering gender and case.
Identify conjunctions and what purpose they Identify conjunctions and what purpose they
serve – Therefore, but, if, because, for, and, serve – Therefore, but, if, because, for, and,
also.also.
Determine number.Determine number.

4. Consider tenses – time of action as well as Consider tenses – time of action as well as
type of action (punctiliar or linear, etc), mood type of action (punctiliar or linear, etc), mood
(indicative? Imperative, subjunctive? (indicative? Imperative, subjunctive?
infinitives?) , voice (active? passive? infinitives?) , voice (active? passive?
Middle? – remember deponent verbs) and Middle? – remember deponent verbs) and
participles. Use your lexicons, parsing participles. Use your lexicons, parsing
guides, Greek and Hebrew dictionaries.guides, Greek and Hebrew dictionaries.

5. What is the meaning of the following verse? Does What is the meaning of the following verse? Does
number help?number help?
1 Corinthians 3:16 - 1 Corinthians 3:16 - Do you not know that you are
God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
(RSV)
1 Corinthians 3:16 1 Corinthians 3:16 ouvk oi;date o[ti nao.j qeou/ ouvk oi;date o[ti nao.j qeou/
evste kai. to. pneu/ma tou/ qeou/ oivkei/ evn evste kai. to. pneu/ma tou/ qeou/ oivkei/ evn
u`mi/nu`mi/n..
1 Corinthians 3:16 Don't you know that you
yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit
lives in you? (NIV) (NIV)

6. Consider all significant words – nouns, Consider all significant words – nouns,
verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc.
Do not force words to have one precise Do not force words to have one precise
meaning. At times words have a range of meaning. At times words have a range of
meaning. E.g. brother, son or father, meaning. E.g. brother, son or father,
salvation, atonement, faith, all, works, etc. (a salvation, atonement, faith, all, works, etc. (a
semantic range) - Beware of semantic range) - Beware of illegitimate illegitimate
totality transfer totality transfer and and etymological fallacyetymological fallacy

7. Illegitimate totality transfer Illegitimate totality transfer is when you is when you
think a given word always carries one think a given word always carries one
specific meaning in any context. specific meaning in any context. It would be It would be
misleading to think that the word “atonement” misleading to think that the word “atonement”
always means the same thing in the Bible. always means the same thing in the Bible.
Etymological fallacy Etymological fallacy is when you think that is when you think that
etymology (the study of the origin of words or etymology (the study of the origin of words or
their development) always gives you the their development) always gives you the
meaning. E. G. the word “cool” as used by meaning. E. G. the word “cool” as used by
teenagers has nothing to do with temperature, teenagers has nothing to do with temperature,
the original meaning of the word. Is the word the original meaning of the word. Is the word
“gay” today related to its meaning two “gay” today related to its meaning two
decades ago?decades ago?

8. Consider the word “son” in these verses. Does it Consider the word “son” in these verses. Does it
have exactly the same meaning?have exactly the same meaning?
Matthew 1:20-21 Matthew 1:20-21

But after he had considered But after he had considered
this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said, "dream and said, "Joseph son of DavidJoseph son of David, do not , do not
be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,
because what is conceived in her is from the because what is conceived in her is from the
Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit.
21 21
She will give birth to a sonShe will give birth to a son, and , and
you are to give him the name Jesus, because he you are to give him the name Jesus, because he
will save his people from their sins.“will save his people from their sins.“
How about when Jesus is called the “Son of How about when Jesus is called the “Son of
God” or even “Son of Man?”God” or even “Son of Man?”

9. Focus on words that have theological Focus on words that have theological
meaning – salvation, sin, faith, believe, grace, meaning – salvation, sin, faith, believe, grace,
worship, justify, forgive, judgement, etc.worship, justify, forgive, judgement, etc.
Enhance your understanding of words (or Enhance your understanding of words (or
phrases by inter-textual connections (inter-phrases by inter-textual connections (inter-
textuality) Does this writer (or the Bible in textuality) Does this writer (or the Bible in
general) use the same word, phrase or string general) use the same word, phrase or string
of words elsewhere? (a string of words is a of words elsewhere? (a string of words is a
phrase such as “in Christ” “Lord’s day,” etc. – phrase such as “in Christ” “Lord’s day,” etc. –
Let Scripture interpret Scripture. Let Scripture interpret Scripture.

10. Use Strong’s codes – look for words that come Use Strong’s codes – look for words that come
from the same Greek or Hebrew word instead of from the same Greek or Hebrew word instead of
depending on the English. Does the word cross in depending on the English. Does the word cross in
the following texts mean the same thing?the following texts mean the same thing?
Matthew 8:18 When Jesus saw the crowd around
him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of
the lake.
Galatians 5:11 Brothers, if I am still preaching
circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In
that case the offense of the cross has been
abolished.

11. Consider if there are indications of Consider if there are indications of
metaphorical meaning rather than only the metaphorical meaning rather than only the
literal. What is the meaning of “cross” literal. What is the meaning of “cross”
((staurosstauros) in the following texts?) in the following texts?

12.  Matthew 10:38 and anyone who does not take
his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 27:32 As they were going out, they met
a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they
forced him to carry the cross.
Galatians 6:14 May I never boast except in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the
world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

13. Matthew 16:19 Matthew 16:19 will give you the keys of will give you the keys of
the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind
on earth will be bound in heaven, and on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed whatever you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven." in heaven."
Revelation 1:18 Revelation 1:18 8 I am the Living One; I 8 I am the Living One; I
was dead, and behold I am alive for ever was dead, and behold I am alive for ever
and ever! And I hold the keys of death and and ever! And I hold the keys of death and
Hades. Hades.

14. Luke 11:52 Luke 11:52 "Woe to you experts in the "Woe to you experts in the
law, because you have taken away the key law, because you have taken away the key
to knowledge. You yourselves have not to knowledge. You yourselves have not
entered, and you have hindered those who entered, and you have hindered those who
were entering." were entering."

15. At times you may also need to find the concept, At times you may also need to find the concept,
not just the exact words.not just the exact words.
What does “the Lord’s day” mean in Scripture? What does “the Lord’s day” mean in Scripture?
Many commentators see “Lord’s day in Many commentators see “Lord’s day in Rev 1:10
(On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit,) as a
reference to Sunday. Where do they get their
usage from?
Be careful at times the words may be similar but
the context tells you to interpret them differently. –
Does the “Lord’s day” in Rev 1:10 mean the same
as the day of the Lord in 2 Peter 3:10 (But the
day of the Lord will come like a thief . . .)?

16. Remember that the biblical meaning of a word Remember that the biblical meaning of a word
might be significantly different from the meaning in might be significantly different from the meaning in
classical Greek literature. – classical Greek literature. – Find the equivalent Find the equivalent
OT term by looking for the Greek word in the OT term by looking for the Greek word in the
LXX and then take your cue from the OT usage.LXX and then take your cue from the OT usage.
Remember that the NT writers were Jews (with the Remember that the NT writers were Jews (with the
exception of Luke) even though they wrote in exception of Luke) even though they wrote in
Greek. They also used koine Greek, not classical Greek. They also used koine Greek, not classical
Greek.Greek.

17. Make your tentative translation then Make your tentative translation then
compare with other translations. Read from compare with other translations. Read from
many translations.many translations.
If you do not read the original languages If you do not read the original languages
compare as many translations as possible. compare as many translations as possible.
Note any differences and try to find out why Note any differences and try to find out why
they are there.they are there.