| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The sentence begins with ephē {ἔφη | é-phē} ‘he said’ introducing direct speech, with autō {αὐτῷ | au-tō̂} ‘to him’ marking the recipient. The noun–possessor construction ho kyrios autou {ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ | ho kú-ri-os au-toû} ‘the lord of him’ identifies the speaker. The vocative commendation eu doule agathe kai piste {εὖ δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ καὶ πιστέ | eû doû-le a-ga-thè kaì pi-sté} ‘well, servant, good and faithful’ uses an approving adverb with parallel adjectives. The prepositional clause epi oliga ēs pistos {ἐπὶ ὀλίγα ἦς πιστός | e-pì o-lí-ga ês pis-tós} ‘over few things you were faithful’ frames prior faithfulness in a limited sphere, paralleled by epi pollōn se katastēsō {ἐπὶ πολλῶν σε καταστήσω | e-pì pol-lō̂n se ka-ta-stê-sō} ‘over many things I will appoint you’ indicating promised elevation. The imperative eiselthe eis tēn charan tou kyriou sou {εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν χαράν τοῦ κυρίου σου | ei-sél-the eis tḗn kha-rán tou ku-rí-ou sou} ‘enter into the joy of your lord’ summons the servant into the sphere of reward. |