| 46. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the conjunction kai {καὶ | kaí}, linking this sentence tightly to the preceding narrative. Two aorist participles, agorasas {ἀγοράσας | agorásas} “having bought” and kathelōn {καθελὼν | kathelṓn} “having taken down,” precede the main verb and function temporally, indicating actions completed prior to the main event, here the aorist indicative eneilēsen {ἐνείλησεν | eneílēsen} “he wrapped.” The object auton {αὐτόν | autón} “him” refers to Jesus and is carried through the sequence of actions, while the dative phrase tē sindoni {τῇ σινδόνι | tē̂ sindóni} specifies the material used in wrapping, the article marking the linen as a particular, known burial cloth. A coordinating kai {καὶ | kaí} then introduces the next aorist indicative ethēken {ἔθηκεν | éthēken} “he laid,” followed by the prepositional phrase en mnēmeiō {ἐν μνημείῳ | en mnēmíōi} “in a tomb,” which establishes location. The relative clause ho ēn lelatomēmenon ek petras {ὃ ἦν λελατομημένον ἐκ πέτρας | ho ēn lelatomēménon ek pétras} uses a periphrastic construction (imperfect of “to be” plus perfect passive participle) to describe the tomb as a pre-existing, rock-hewn structure, emphasizing its permanence and intentional preparation. A final kai {καὶ | kaí} coordinates the last aorist indicative prosekylisen {προσεκύλισεν | prosekýlisen} “he rolled,” whose object lithon {λίθον | líthon} “stone” and prepositional phrase epi tēn thyran tou mnēmeiou {ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν τοῦ μνημείου | epí tēn thýrān tou mnēmeíou} specify the sealing motion directed against the doorway of the tomb. The chain of aorist participles plus aorist indicatives conveys a tightly ordered sequence of deliberate actions, which is mirrored in translation by maintaining clear temporal progression (“after buying,” “took,” “wrapped,” “laid,” “rolled”) and preserving the relative clause that characterizes the tomb. |