| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The coordinating conjunction kai {καὶ | kaì} links this action to the preceding narrative, marking sequence. The verb apesteilen {ἀπέστειλεν | apé-stei-len} in the aorist active indicative portrays the sending as a completed event. The phrase ton doulon autou {τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ | tòn doû-lon au-toû} uses a genitive personal pronoun to indicate possession and relational proximity. The temporal dative tē hōra tou deipnou {τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ δείπνου | tê hṓ-rāi toû deíp-nou} specifies precise timing, rendered with an English prepositional phrase for clarity. The infinitive eipein {εἰπεῖν | ei-peîn} introduces the content of the servant’s commission. The perfect passive participle keklēmenois {κεκλημένοις | ke-klē-mé-nois} functions adjectivally in apposition, emphasizing a completed invitation with ongoing validity. The imperative erchesthe {Ἔρχεσθε | Ér-khe-sthe} issues a summons, followed by the causal clause hoti ḗdē hétoima estin {ὅτι ἤδη ἕτοιμά ἐστιν | hó-ti ḗ-dē hé-toi-má és-tin}, where ēdē highlights immediacy and the resultive state, a nuance mirrored by placing “now” and “ready” at the clause’s end in English. |