| 4. Linguistic Exegesis tis anthropos {Τίς ἄνθρωπος | Tís án-thro-pos} ‘which man’ introduces a direct rhetorical question. The phrase ex humon {ἐξ ὑμῶν | éx hū-môn} ‘among you’ specifies the addressed group. The participial clause echon hekaton probata {ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα | é-chōn he-ká-ton pró-ba-ta} ‘having a hundred sheep’ indicates ongoing possession. The aorist participle apolesas {ἀπολέσας | a-po-lé-sas} ‘having lost’ frames the missing sheep, reinforced by ex auton hen {ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν | éx au-tôn hén} ‘from them one.’ The negative question ou kataleipei {οὐ καταλείπει | ou ka-ta-leí-pei} ‘would not leave’ expects agreement, underscoring the shepherd’s obvious choice. The object ta enenekonta ennea {τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα | tà e-ne-nē-kón-ta en-né-a} ‘the ninety-nine’ contrasts the group with the solitary lost one. The prepositional phrase en te eremo {ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ | en tē̂ e-rḗ-mō} ‘in the wilderness’ highlights the peril for those left behind. The verb poreuetai epi to apololos {πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς | po-réu-e-tai epì tò a-po-lō-lós} ‘go after the lost one’ conveys deliberate pursuit. Finally, the conjunction heos with subjunctive heure {ἕως εὕρῃ | hé-ōs heú-rē} ‘until he might find’ signals unremitting determination to recover auto {αὐτό | au-tó} ‘it,’ reflecting the shepherd’s committed compassion. |