| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The main clause begins with the imperfect verb eginōsken {ἐγίνωσκεν | e-gí-nō-sken} ‘was knowing’, portraying Pilate’s perceptive awareness as an ongoing state rather than a momentary realization. The postpositive conjunction gar {γὰρ | gár} links this verse logically to the preceding narrative, giving the reason for Pilate’s actions toward Jesus. The content clause introduced by hoti {ὅτι | hó-ti} functions as the object of the knowing, and within it the prepositional phrase dia phthonon {διὰ φθόνον | diá phthó-non} ‘because of envy’ is placed early, foregrounding the motive of the religious leaders. The pluperfect paradedōkeisan {παραδεδώκεισαν | pa-ra-de-dṓ-kei-san} ‘they had handed over’ indicates an action completed prior to the narrative present, emphasizing that the transfer of Jesus to Pilate by hoi archiereis {οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς | hoi ar-khi-e-reîs} is already a settled fact. The subject of this pluperfect is expressed explicitly by the nominative hoi archiereis at the end of the clause, a placement that throws rhetorical weight on their identity as responsible agents. In English, a straightforward subject–verb–object order is used to keep the roles clear: Pilate understands, the chief priests act, and Jesus (Him) is the one handed over. The causal force of dia with the accusative is conveyed by “because of” and “out of,” preserving the emphasis on envy as the driving motive. |