| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} links this scene to the preceding context. The aorist passive participle apokritheis {ἀποκριθεὶς | ap-ok-ri-theîs} functions adverbially (‘answering’) to describe the manner of speech. The subject ho Iesous {ὁ Ἰησοῦς | ho Iē-soûs} precedes the aorist indicative eipen {εἶπεν | eî-pen}, establishing the narrative spine. The prepositional phrase pros tous nomikous kai Pharisaious {πρὸς τοὺς νομικοὺς καὶ Φαρισαίους | pròs toûs no-mi-koûs kaí Pha-ri-saí-ous} identifies the addressees. The present participle legon {λέγων | lég-ōn} introduces direct discourse. Within the quotation, the impersonal exestin {ἔξεστιν | éx-es-tin} opens a formal query, followed by the dative of time tō sabbatō {τῷ σαββάτῳ | tô sab-bá-tō} ‘on the Sabbath’ and the aorist infinitive therapeusai {θεραπεῦσαι | the-ra-peú-sai} ‘to heal.’ The correlative ē ... ou {ἢ ... οὔ | ḗ ... oú} presents the polar alternative ‘or not.’ In English, apokritheis is rendered as ‘answering’ in the formal and by the direct verb ‘asked’ in the dynamic, while exestin appears as ‘Is it lawful’ and ‘Is it permitted,’ preserving its judicial nuance. |