| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the coordinating conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} linking this episode to the preceding teaching. A compound nominative subject, hoi grammateis {οἱ γραμματεῖς | hoi gram-ma-teîs} and hoi archiereis {οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς | hoi ar-khi-e-reîs}, presents the hostile leadership group acting together. The aorist ezetesan {ἐζήτησαν | e-zē-tē-san} functions as the main verb, governing the complementary aorist infinitive epibalein {ἐπιβαλεῖν | e-pi-ba-leîn}; together they express purposeful intent “they sought to lay upon.” The preposition ep {ἐπʼ | ep} with auton {αὐτὸν | au-tón} and the object phrase tas kheiras {τὰς χεῖρας | tàs kheî-ras} depicts a concrete attempt to arrest. The temporal phrase en aute te hora {ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ | en au-têi têi hṓ-ra} is a marked expression meaning “in that very hour,” intensifying immediacy by using the intensive pronoun with the article and noun. A second clause joined by kai introduces ephobethesan {ἐφοβήθησαν | e-pho-bē-thē-san} with the same subject implied, shifting from intention to inhibition; ton laon {τὸν λαόν | tòn la-ón} as the object of fear highlights popular support for Jesus. The causal sequence ἔγνωσαν γὰρ ὅτι is rendered by egnosan gar hoti {ἔγνωσαν γὰρ ὅτι | ég-nō-san gàr hó-ti}, where gar provides an explanatory ground, and hoti introduces the content clause. Within this object clause, pros autous {πρὸς αὐτοὺς | pròs au-toùs} carries the nuance “against them,” marking them as the targets of criticism, while eipen {εἶπεν | eî-pen} with the object phrase ten parabolen tauten {τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην | tḗn pa-ra-bolḗn taú-tēn} specifies that this particular parable was directed toward them. The syntax thus tightly links their murderous intent, their political fear of the people, and their clear understanding of the parable’s accusatory force. |