USING THE ANALYTICAL LEXICON
In using the analytical lexicon, you will be dealing with verbal and nominal* usages of verbs. You will also be dealing with the use of nouns. These forms in the original text are important for a theologically accurate analysis of the Scriptures. If you are able to recognize these forms and know the significance of these forms, then you will be able to check your interpretation of the Scriptures for yourself. You will be able to make sure that your interpretation is theologically sound and fits the Scriptures rather than trying to make the Scriptures fit your theology.
Remember that Christ Himself emphasized the importance of the tenses in Matthew 22:29 by correcting the error of the Sadducees concerning the resurrection. The truth had been overlooked by them because they had ignored the use of the present tense in Exodus 3:6, where God stated that “He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”. This was at least four hundred years after their death. The interpretation that fits the teaching of the Scriptures is that there is a life after death-the very doctrine that the Sadducees were denying.
*Nominal: A noun like word. Nouns, adjectives, and pronouns are called nominal; distinguished from verbal. A noun substitute or a substantive.
THE INTERLINEAR-ANALYTICAL LEXICON PROCESS
In using the analytical lexicon, you will be dealing with verbal and nominal usages of verbs. These forms in the original text are important for a theologically accurate analysis of the Scriptures.
- Find the word being studied in an interlinear Greek New Testament.
- Look up the exact word form used in the Greek text.
- Interpret the Greek grammatical meaning to find the theological significance of the original statement.
- Look up the original word to find the meaning of the word as a word study.
- Reinsert the grammatical meaning of the word back into the context of the Scripture to get an accurate doctrinal interpretation of the passage.
- Dealing with Verbs
- In looking for a verb in the analytical lexicon, you will find the verb form used in the Greek passage in Greek on the left side of the column. You will then have listed: the person speaking, singular or plural, the tense, the voice, the mood and the original verb root or other information that the word is an infinitive, a participle or other such information. Example: Matthew 22:9, working with the Greek word for “invite”
- 2 pers. pl. aor. 1 imper. act.
- 2 pers. pl (person)
- aor. 1 imper. (tense/mood)
- act. (voice)
- 2 pers. pl. aor. 1 imper. act.
- Verbs: a word showing action or a state of being
- Person: example – 1 s. or 3 pl.
- Tense (indicates the time relation of the action)
- Present tense (pres.) indicates an action or a state of being that is happening at the present time. Example: The boy is running. I John 1:7, ” … the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (pres.-is cleansing) us from all sin.”
- Imperfect tense (imperf) denotes continuous action to past time. Example: The boy was running. Mark 12:41, ” … many who were rich put (imperf were putting) in much.” John 1: 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was (imperf. was being) God.”
- Future tense (f or fut.) denotes future action. Example: John 14:3, ” … I will come again and receive (fut. will receive) you to Myself”
- Aorist tense (aor.) states an action as being completed at a point in time without regard to its duration. Example: John 2:20 (KJV), ” … forty and six years was this temple in building (aor. built) … “
- Perfect tense (perf) indicates completed action in point of time with continuing results. Example: Acts 5 :28, ” … you have filled (perf) Jerusalem with your doctrine … “
- Pluperfect tense (pluperf) shows both action and results as existing in past time. Example: Acts 1 : 10, ” … two men stood (pluperf) by them in white apparel. .. “
- Voice (shows how the subject is related to the action)
- Active voice (act.) indicates that the subject produces the action. Example: John threw the ball.
- Passive voice (pass.) indicates that the subject was acted upon. That is, the subject receives the action. Example: The ball was thrown. Acts 22:30, ” … he was accused by the Jews … “
- Middle voice (mid.) indicates that the subject is participating in the results of the action (reflexive). Example: John hit himselfMatthew 27:5, ” … and went and hanged himself.. .”
- Mood (expresses the relation of the verb to reality)
- The indicative mood (ind.). This is the declarative mood. It
simply declares or asks. It states a thing as true without guaranteeing the reality of the statement. Example: John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word … “ - The subjunctive mood (subj.). This is the mood of probability.
Examples:- As a statement: He should pay his debts.
- As a question: Should he pay his debts?
- As a weak command: Let him pay his debts.
- The optative mood (opt. or optat.). This is the mood of possibility and contains no definite anticipation of realization, but merely presents the action as conceivable. Example: Acts 7: 31, ” … how can I, unless someone guides me … “
- The imperative mood (imp., imper. or imperat.). This is the moodshowing command or permission. Example:
Matthew 5:44, ” .. .love your enemies … “
- The indicative mood (ind.). This is the declarative mood. It
- In looking for a verb in the analytical lexicon, you will find the verb form used in the Greek passage in Greek on the left side of the column. You will then have listed: the person speaking, singular or plural, the tense, the voice, the mood and the original verb root or other information that the word is an infinitive, a participle or other such information. Example: Matthew 22:9, working with the Greek word for “invite”
Assignment: Read John 11:17-28. Describe the transformation of Martha. What changes in her? What is the meaning of each word “die” in verses 25 and 26?
Consider God's Word 