| 47. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the expression heis de tis {εἷς δέ τις | heîs dé tis}, where the cardinal numeral and the indefinite pronoun combine to present an unnamed individual, preserving narrative anonymity while marking a specific actor. The genitive phrase tōn parestēkotōn {τῶν παρεστηκότων | tôn parestēkótōn} is a partitive genitive, “one of those who had been standing by,” describing this individual as part of the surrounding group. The nominative participle spasamenos {σπασάμενος | spasámenos} is circumstantial, temporally anterior to the main verbs, indicating the action “after drawing” or “having drawn” the sword before the blow. The direct object is introduced with tēn machairan {τὴν μάχαιραν | tēn máchairan}, specifying the weapon. The aorist indicative epaisen {ἔπαισεν | épaisen} conveys the decisive and punctiliar act of striking, with its object clarified by the accusative ton doulon {τὸν δοῦλον | ton doûlon}. The genitive tou archiereōs {τοῦ ἀρχιερέως | tou archiereôs} functions as a possessive genitive, identifying the servant as belonging to or serving the high priest, which heightens the narrative tension. The conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí} then coordinates a second aorist verb, apheilen {ἀφεῖλεν | apheîlen}, describing the result of the strike, “cut off,” with autou {αὐτοῦ | autou} marking whose body part is affected. The object to ōtarion {τὸ ὠτάριον | to ōtárion} uses a diminutive, perhaps adding vividness or a touch of pathos to the narrative detail. In translation, the participial clauses are rendered as finite or sequential clauses (“having drawn,” “standing close by”) to fit natural English narrative flow while preserving the temporal order and the focus on the violent action against the high priest’s servant. |