θέλημα

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 θέλημα

   THE-le-ma

   will
2. sentence🔊 ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με

   HO-ti ka-ta-BE-bê-ka a-PO tou ou-ra-NOU oukh HI-na poi-Ô to THE-le-ma to e-MON al-LA to THE-le-ma tou PEMP-san-TOS me

   for I have come down from the heaven not in order that I do the will the my own but the will of the of the one who sent me

Exegesis

The object phrase to thelema to emon {τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν | tò thé-le-ma tò e-mòn} contains the repeated article, marking “My own will” as a specific, contrasted entity.

The strong adversative alla {ἀλλὰ | al-là} introduces the positive purpose: to thelema tou pempsantos me {τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με | tò thé-le-ma toû pémp-san-tós me}, where the genitive articular participle tou pempsantos functions substantivally as “the One who sent,” implicitly referring to the Father. The structure sets up a clear contrast between two potential centers of volition—Jesus’ own will and the Sender’s will—while the word order places the will of the Sender in the climactic position. In translation, the causal linkage of hoti is preserved with “For,” the perfect aspect is maintained in the formal rendering with “have come down,” and the hina-clause is rendered as a purpose statement, keeping the sharp contrast between “My own will” and “the will of the One who sent Me.”

Root and etymology

thelo🔊 θέλωtheta–epsilon–lambda–omega

“to will, wish, desire”

• 🔊 θέλησιςthé-lē-sisact of willingEphesians 1:11
• 🔊 θέλημαthé-le-mawillRomans 12:2