| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the interjection ouai {Οὐαὶ | Ouài} ‘woe’, introducing a prophetic lament, followed by de {δὲ | dè} ‘but’, which links to the preceding context. The dative plural humin {ὑμῖν | humîn} ‘to you’ marks the recipients—grammateis {γραμματεῖς | grammateîs} ‘scribes’ and Pharisaioi {Φαρισαῖοι | Pharisaîoi} ‘Pharisees’—who are then called hupokritai {ὑποκριταί | hupokritaí} ‘hypocrites’. The conjunction hoti {ὅτι | hóti} ‘because’ introduces the indictment that kleiete {κλείετε | kleíete} ‘you close’ the ten basileian {τὴν βασιλείαν | tḕn basileíān} ‘the kingdom’ of heaven emprosthen {ἔμπροσθεν | émprosthen} ‘before’ ton anthropon {τῶν ἀνθρώπων | tôn anthrṓpōn} ‘people’. The explanatory gar {γὰρ | gàr} ‘for’ introduces parallel statements: humeis {ὑμεῖς | humeîs} ‘you’ ouk eisérkhesthe {οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε | ouk eisérkhesthe} ‘do not enter’, and oude {οὐδὲ | oudè} ‘nor’ tous eiserkhomenous {τοὺς εἰσερχομένους | toùs eiserkhoménous} ‘those entering’ aphíete {ἀφίετε | aphíete} ‘you allow’ eiselthein {εἰσελθεῖν | eiseltheîn} ‘to enter’. The double negative construction underscores hypocritical exclusion, and the present tenses of kleíete and aphíete convey ongoing action. |