τοῦ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 τοῦ

   tou

   of the
2. sentence🔊 ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς προσεκαλέσατο αὐτὰ λέγων Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία ἔρχεσθαι πρός με καὶ μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ

   ho de ee-ay-SOOS pro-se-ka-LE-sa-to au-TA LE-gōn A-phe-te ta pai-DEE-a ER-khe-sthai pros me KAI MÊ kō-LY-e-te au-TA tōn gar toi-OU-tōn es-TIN hê ba-si-LEI-a tou the-OU

   the and Jesus called them saying allow the children to come to me and not hinder them of the for of such is the kingdom of the God

Exegesis

In ton toiouton estin he basileia tou theou {τῶν τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | tôn toioútōn estín hē basileía toû theoû}, the genitive ton toiouton ‘of such as these’ is a genitive of possession or relation, indicating the kind of persons to whom the kingdom belongs.

The fronting of this genitive phrase before the verb estin {ἐστὶν | estín} gives it emphasis, highlighting that the divine reign, he basileia tou theou {ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ | hē basileía toû theoû}, is especially characterized by and oriented toward those who are like these children. The syntax as a whole moves from narrative description to direct command and then to theological explanation, reinforcing both Jesus’ welcome of children and the paradigm they represent for participation in God’s rule.