| 46. Linguistic Exegesis The circumstantial participle legōn {λέγων | lé-gōn} ‘saying’ introduces direct speech linked to the implied speaker. The dative autois {αὐτοῖς | au-toîs} ‘to them’ specifies the recipients of the rebuke. The perfect passive gegraptai {Γέγραπται | gé-grap-tai} ‘it has been written’ functions as the scriptural citation formula, with kai {Καὶ | kaí} and estai {ἔσται | é-stai} ‘it will be’ conveying prophetic futurity. The phrase ho oikos mou {ὁ οἶκός μου | ho oi-kós mou} ‘My house’ denotes divine possession, and the appositional oikos proseuchēs {οἶκος προσευχῆς | oi-kos pro-seu-khēs} ‘house of prayer’ employs a genitive of purpose. The adversative de {δὲ | dè} with emphatic humeis {ὑμεῖς | hu-meîs} ‘you’ contrasts divine intent with human action, and the verb epoiēsate {ἐποιήσατε | e-poi-ḗ-sa-te} ‘you made’ takes auton {αὐτὸν | au-tòn} ‘it’ as its object. The predicate spelaion lēstōn {σπήλαιον λῃστῶν | spḗ-lai-on lê-stōn} ‘den of robbers’ metaphorically recasts the temple. The juxtaposition underscores the tension between sacred purpose and exploitative behavior in the narrative. |