| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with elegen {Ἔλεγεν | é-le-gen} ‘he was saying,’ an imperfect indicative that situates Jesus’ instruction within an ongoing discourse, with the postpositive de {δὲ | dè} and conjunction kai {καὶ | kaì} linking this saying to the preceding context. The dative phrase tō keklēkoti auton {τῷ κεκληκότι αὐτόν | tô ke-klē-kó-ti au-tón} uses a perfect participle to identify “the one who has invited Him,” establishing the host’s role. The temporal clause hotan poiēs ariston ē deipnon {Ὅταν ποιῇς ἄριστον ἢ δεῖπνον | hó-tan poi-êis á-ri-ston ē deîp-non} employs hotan with the present subjunctive poiēs to express a general condition “whenever you prepare dinner or supper.”
The prohibition is framed by mē phōnei {μὴ φώνει | mḕ phō-neî} ‘do not invite,’ followed by a progressive list of recipients—your friends, brothers, relatives, and wealthy neighbors—each introduced by the negative conjunction mēde {μηδὲ | mê-de}, emphasizing increasing social proximity. The warning clause begins with mēpote {μήποτε | mḕ-po-te} ‘lest perhaps,’ governing the aorist subjunctive antikalēsōsin {ἀντικαλέσωσίν | an-ti-ka-lé-sō-sin}, “they might invite back,” and is followed by genētai antapodoma soi {γένηται ἀνταπόδομά σοι | gé-nē-tai an-ta-pó-do-ma soí} ‘and there may be repayment to you,’ an existential subjunctive construction that highlights the unwanted result of reciprocal hospitality. The parallel series of subjunctives and negatives underlines Jesus’ critique of self-seeking generosity. |