| 36. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the adverb tote {Τότε | Tó-te} “then,” marking a new step in the narrative sequence. The aorist participle apheis {ἀφεὶς | a-pheìs} precedes the main verb elthen {ἦλθεν | êl-then} and forms a circumstantial participial construction, indicating an action (“having sent away”) completed prior to “he went.” The direct object of apheis is tous ochlous {τοὺς ὄχλους | toùs ókh-lous} “the crowds,” highlighting the transition from public ministry to private instruction. The prepositional phrase eis ten oikian {εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν | eis tḕn oi-kí-an} specifies movement into a particular house, a recurring Matthean setting for closer teaching. A new finite verb, proselthon {προσῆλθον | pros-êl-thon}, introduces the disciples’ action: they “came to” or “approached” Him, with the dative auto {αὐτῷ | au-tôi} marking the personal goal of their approach. The nominative subject hoi mathetai autou {οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ | hoi ma-thē-taì au-toû} follows, a typical Greek pattern where subject position is flexible but clearly marked by case. The participle legontes {λέγοντες | lé-gon-tes} links the disciples’ approach to their ensuing speech, functioning as a discourse marker that introduces direct quotation. Within the quotation, the aorist imperative diasapheson {Διασάφησον | Di-a-sá-phē-son} expresses a polite but urgent request for clarification, governing the indirect object hemin {ἡμῖν | hē-mîn} “to us” and the direct object ten parabolen {τὴν παραβολὴν | tḕn pa-ra-bo-lḕn}. The genitive phrase ton zizanion tou agrou {τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ | tôn zi-za-ní-on toû a-groû} is a partitive or descriptive genitive, specifying which parable is meant: the one concerning “the weeds of the field.” The English renderings separate the long Greek sentence into clear clauses while preserving the temporal sequence (participial construction preceding the main verb) and the movement from public crowd to private circle of disciples seeking interpretation. |