| 37. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the aorist participle apokrithentes {ἀποκριθέντες | a-po-kri-thén-tes} ‘having answered’, providing background for the speech sequence. This is followed by the present indicative legousin {λέγουσιν | lé-gou-sin} ‘they say’, which introduces the disciples’ direct question. The interrogative adverb pou {Ποῦ | Poû} “where” combined with the vocative kurie {κύριε | kú-ri-e} “Lord” forms a succinct address. The adversative conjunction de {δὲ | dè} in ho de eipen {ὁ δὲ εἶπεν | ho dè eî-pen} contrasts the inquiry with Jesus’ reply, and the substantive article ho {ὁ | ho} marks the subject “He.” Jesus’ response begins with the relative adverb hopou {Ὅπου | hó-pou} “wherever,” setting a general locative condition, followed by the nominative subject to sōma {τὸ σῶμα | tò sō-ma} “the body.” The adverb ekeî {ἐκεῖ | e-keî} “there” indicates the corresponding location, and the future passive episynachthēsontai {ἐπισυναχθήσονται | e-pi-su-nach-thē-son-tai} “‘will be gathered’” describes the inevitable result with hoi aetoì {οἱ ἀετοὶ | hoi ae-toí} “the eagles” as the semantic agents, evoking carrion-bird imagery to underscore the concept of judgment. |