Friday, April 5, 2024

Conjunctionitis

So a funny thing I've noticed is how inaccurate our preaching can be sometimes. A lot of eisegesis arises from over-interpreting the Greek. Here's an example I heard this morning while driving into town for my coffee. The preacher was noting how Jesus described the world's leaders as bossy and authoritarian (Mark 10:42).

Then, in verse 43, Jesus adds, "But it is not this way among you." The speaker noted:

The particular Greek syntax places this out of order and drives it home with real emphasis, real emphasis. "Not so -- but" is the way the sentence begins.

In one sense, he's right of course. 

However, the Greek conjunction de is a "post-positive," meaning it can't stand first in its clause or sentence. That's it. No emphasis here. As always, the key is proper observation. Remember, in observation, your main concern is, "What do I see?" Pay special attention to terms and grammatical structure. But don't overdo it. 

Have a wonderful day everyone!