| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the imperfect verbs edidasken {ἐδίδασκεν | e-dí-das-ken} ‘was teaching’ and elegen {ἔλεγεν | é-le-gen} ‘was saying’, forming a narrative frame of ongoing instruction in the temple. The negative particle ou {Οὐ | Ou} plus the perfect passive gegraptai {γέγραπται | gé-grap-tai} ‘it has been written’ introduces a scriptural citation, with hoti {ὅτι | hó-ti} marking the following content. The phrase ho oikos mou oikos proseuchēs {Ὁ οἶκός μου οἶκος προσευχῆς | Ho oî-kos mou oî-kos pro-seu-khês} uses a verbless nominative clause to define “My house” as “house of prayer.” The future passive klethesetai {κληθήσεται | klē-thḗ-se-tai} ‘will be called’ conveys divine designation. The dative construction pasin tois ethnesin {πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν | pâ-sin toîs éth-ne-sin} ‘for all nations’ indicates the intended universal scope of worship. The adversative conjunction de {δὲ | de} introduces the contrast, focusing on humeis {ὑμεῖς | hy-meîs} ‘you.’ The perfect verb pepoiekate {πεποιήκατε | pe-poi-ḗ-ka-te} ‘you have made’ highlights a completed action, and the object complement auton spelaion leistōn {αὐτὸν σπήλαιον λῃστῶν | au-tón spḗ-lai-on lēi-stōn} ‘it a cave of robbers’ echoes the prophetic indictment in Jeremiah 7:11, intensifying the temple corruption critique. |