INTRODUCTION
Outline.
1. The Art of Greek Parsing
Introductory Remarks.
1. We will conduct a Greek Parsing Exercise to discover who received the Holy Ghost Baptism with Empowerment on the Day of Pentecost.
2. Many claims have been made today regarding this subject. Besides the 12-apostles, 1) the 120 disciples, 2) the multitude, 3) the 3000 baptized, and 4) many in some denominations today have received the Holy Ghost baptism with empowerment: quite a list, and it is growing.
3. However, we propose that only the 12-apostles were baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit of promise. We will permit an exercise in Greek Parsing to settle the matter. The exercise will use Luke’s Chronological Narrative of the events on Pentecost as our scriptures of discovery. Let’s begin by defining the term “Greek Parsing.”
BODY OF LESSON
I. THE ART OF GREEK PARSING
A. Definition of Greek Parsing. Greek Parsing means to divide (a sentence) into grammatical parts and identify the parts and their relationship to each other. In this case, they are examining a word or phrase in a sentence from Greek to connect its adjective or verb to its proper definite article, noun, or pronoun that agrees within the text by (case, number, and gender). We will allow the case, number, and gender of a word or phrase in a sentence to define their relationship in the text.
B. A review of Greek Parsing. We will now review several sentences in light of Greek Parsing to settle these claims taught by other religious leaders. I know some will still disagree with Luke's chronological narrative and our summary of the events on Pentecost. However, we will see and know the truth. Observe,
1. Our hypothesis or aim remains the same: "Only the 12 apostles received "power and the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost." This truth has been substantiated by Luke’s chronological narrative of Acts 2:1-14. We will now confirm it again through the art of Greek Parsing. Before beginning the exercise with some,
2. Preparatory work. Below, we have listed several passages where we will review words and phrases from Acts 2:1-4. The word or phrase can help validate the definite articles, adjectives, nouns, or pronouns that make up our discovery sentences in the Greek text. These words and phrases will be correlated with our discovery text in our Greek Parsing exercise. They are,
a. The phrase “they were” in Acts 2:1 is a Verb—Imperfect (no voice stated), combined with a pronoun, Indicative—3rd Person Plural (in case, number, and gender). These phrases' case, number, and gender will become valuable as we analyze the "who" or the "subject" in this and other sentences in the Bible.
b. The phrase “they were” in Acts 2:2 is also a Verb – Imperfect (No voice stated), combined with a pronoun, Indicative – 3rd Person Plural (in case, number, and gender).
c. The phrase “unto them,” in Acts 2:3a, is a Personal/Possessive Pronoun – Dative Plural Masculine (in case, number, and gender). This is a little “dry,” but this review is necessary.
d. The phrase “of them,” in Acts 2:3b, is a Personal/Possessive Pronoun – Genitive Plural Masculine (in case, number, and gender).
e. The phrase “they were,” in Acts 2:4a, is also a verb – Aorist Passive Indicative – 3rd Person Plural (in case, number, and gender).
f. The word “them,” in Acts 2:4b, is a Personal/Possessive Pronoun – Dative Plural Masculine (in case, number, and gender).
NOTE: Time does not permit us to define all these parts of speech, such as case, number, and gender, for each phrase and word in our preparatory work. I listed the references to obtain the site for this work below and in the Reference Section. You would benefit greatly from studying these terms later on your own. I will leave it to you to discover. However, for now, let's consider three sentences that bear examination in our exercise as we move to a conclusion.
3. You must open The BlueLetterBible’s Interlinear before you begin this exercise. Use the link below to open the BLB’s Interlinear.
NOTE: Copy and Paste this link into your browser: https://www.blueletterbible.org/. Once opened, type into the search Window Acts 2. Click on the search Arrow to begin. Then, scroll down to verse one. Select and click on Act 2:1 to open the BLB’s Interlinear (the blue tab at the top left of the page). You must do this to review every verse mentioned in the exercise. Spend some time reviewing the application and other tabs.
NOTE: In the Interlinear View, you have these headings.
Textus Receptus: It provides the Greek text listed below the heading (this is the default page).
Highlighted headings. English [KJV] [?]; Strong’s; Inflection, Root & Transliteration; and Parsing [?].
Put your mouse (Arrow or Hand) on: “And,” then G2532, then “kai,” and “CONJ.” Select other words and review them in the same manner. [A link or “pop-up screen” will appear; review it.]
NOTE: If you select a link, you will transition from the page; use the back arrow to return to it.
Please become familiar with these tabs and their information. We will use them later in this exercise. The BLB.org has a Tutorial Page, which you can review for further information on their App.
C. Exercise sentences for review. We will use three sentences for our exercise in this lesson. They will firmly establish who the “subject” of Luke’s chronological narrative was in Acts 2:1-4. Let’s begin our exercise. Recall that Luke wrote,
1. First, “Matthias, was numbered with the eleven apostles,” Acts 1:26. After the disciples came together to elect another person (man) to replace Judas (who had betrayed Christ), they cast forth their "lots" after praying to the Lord. Their lots "fell on Matthias." And He was numbered with the 11 apostles. The question before us now is this: Could: "Matthias and the eleven apostles" be the "who" or the "subjects" of the "they" and "them" in Acts 2:1-4? In Greek Parsing,
a. The sentence: “Matthias and the eleven apostles” can be mapped in this fashion:
1) The name “Matthias” is a noun | N-ASM.
2) The word “and" is a conjunction | CONJ.
3) The word “with” is a preposition | PREP.
4) The word “the” is a definite article | T-GPM.
5) The number “eleven” is an adjective | *A-NUI.
6) The title “apostles” is a noun | N-GPM.
b. Is there an article, adjective, or noun that can be linked to the pronoun: “they” or “them" in Acts 2:1-4? In Greek Parsing, does “they” or “them” refer to an article, adjective, or noun mentioned earlier in Acts 1:26? Let’s locate them by connecting this “pronoun” to this sentence.
1) In Acts 2:3b, the phrase “of them" is a pronoun | P-GPM.
2) In Acts 1:26, the title "apostles” is a noun | N-GPM.
3) In MGNT-NASB95, the number “eleven” is an adjective | *A-GPM.
NOTE: MGNT means the Morphological Greek New Testament. BLB.org.
NOTE: GPM means Genitive in case, Plural in number, and Masculine in gender.
4) The pronoun, noun, and adjective agree in case, number, and gender.
5) Therefore, the phrase "of them" in Acts 2:3b refers to the “eleven apostles” in Acts 1:26.
c. Conclusion: The “cloven tongues like as of fire, sat upon each of them (Matthias, and the eleven apostles) on the Day of Pentecost. This evidence in Greek Parsing is undeniable. The pronoun "of them," in Acts 2:3b; refers to the definite article, adjective, and noun; of “the eleven apostles,” mentioned, in Acts 1:26. Let's consider another text that mentions the 12 apostles.
2. Further, “Peter, standing up with the eleven,” Acts 2:14. We will permit Peter to make his defense of himself and the other apostles, who were being accused of being "full of new wine," Acts 2:13. In Greek Parsing,
a. The sentence: “Peter, standing up with the eleven” can be mapped in this fashion:
1) The name “Peter” is a noun | N-NSM.
2) The phrase “standing up" is a verb | V-APP-NSM.
3) The word “with” is a preposition | PREP.
4) The word “the” is a definite article | T-DPM.
5) The word “eleven” is an adjective | *A-NUI.
NOTE: In MGNT-NASB95, “eleven" is an adjective | *A-DPM.
NOTE: MGNT means the Morphological Greek New Testament. BLB.org.
6) The phrase “unto them” is a pronoun | P-DPM. (*Inferred, but not included in the sentence).
b. Is an adjective, noun, or pronoun linked to the definite article in this sentence in Acts 2:14? In Greek Parsing,
1) The adjective “eleven” has already been linked to the “they” or “them,” the 12 apostles.
2) Is there a noun or pronoun that links the definite article, | T-DPM, to our text?
3) Recall that Peter defends his and the other apostles’ actions as not being “full of new wine.”
4) In Acts 2:3a, we find the pronoun that links back to the definite article | T-DPM, in Acts 2:14.
a) In Acts 2:14, the word “the” is a definite article | T-DPM.
b) The word "eleven" is an adjective | *A-DPM.
c) In Acts 2:3a, “unto them” is a pronoun | P-DPM.
NOTE: DPM means Dative in case, Plural in number, and Masculine in gender.
5) The definite article, adjective, and pronoun agree in case, number, and gender.
6) Therefore, the phrase “unto them" in Acts 2:3a refers to the “the eleven” in Acts 2:14. There can be no mistake about it! The definite article, adjective, and pronoun agree in case, number, and gender. They connect the phrase "unto them" to “Peter and the eleven apostles.” Are you seeing this?
c. Conclusion: The “cloven tongues that appeared unto them; like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, was (Peter, and the eleven apostles), on the Day of Pentecost. This evidence in Greek Parsing is undeniable. The definite article “the” and its pronoun, “unto them," refers to the adjective and noun the “eleven apostles” in Acts 1:26 and Acts 2:14. Although the noun "apostles" is absent in the sentence, Luke inferred it. As we conclude, let's consider our final sentence in this exercise.
3. Finally, some repentant believers inquired of: “Peter and the rest of the apostles,” Acts 2:37. As the apostle, Peter concluded his sermon on Pentecost. Some men from the audience, touched in their hearts by the guilt of crucifying Jesus, said unto: “Peter, and the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37. In Greek Parsing,
a. The sentence: “Peter and the rest of the apostles" can be mapped in this fashion:
1) The name “Peter” is a noun | N-ASM.
2) The word “and” is a conjunction | CONJ.
3) The word "to the” is a definite article | T-APM.
4) The word “rest” is an adjective | A-APM.
5) The phrase “of the apostles” is a noun | N-APM.
b. Can some definite article, adjective, or noun link this sentence to our previous exercises? In Greek Parsing,
1) In Acts 2:37, the investigation's sentence has no missing or displaced article, adjective, verb, or noun.
2) The name Peter stands alone, just like Matthias, in Acts 1:26.
3) The phrase "rest of the apostles," their article, adjective, and noun, agree in case, number, and gender.
NOTE: APM means Accusative Plural Masculine. Therefore, as in the other two sentences, in this exercise, the gender of all “the subjects” mentioned has been men.
c. Conclusion: Only the 12 apostles received the baptism, or the "outpouring" of the Holy Spirit, with power on Pentecost. There was no mention of any other persons (male or female) in our final exercise or Luke's chronological narrative of the events that occurred that day.
D. Final summation. Our aim in this exercise was to establish that only the 12 apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with power on the Day of Pentecost. We worked methodically through Luke's chronological narrative to establish this fundamental truth.
1. Our eyes were intensely affixed to every sentence, phrase, and word as we reviewed Luke’s report on the events at Pentecost. Luke, Paul's beloved companion, depicted a graphic narrative of all the events that occurred on the Day of Pentecost.
2. We worked carefully through Luke’s record of it, opening our Bibles at each junction of his narrative.
3. Our only goal was to reveal what was written in the text—not to prove a point but to establish the truth. If this lesson has angered anyone, I pray that God grants you the spirit of humility and reverence for His holy and divine word.
4. You have been patient and cooperative. This exercise should have helped you understand and appreciate the Art of Greek Parsing.
NOTE: Download the sermon: “Luke’s Narrative of the Day of Pentecost” from SermonCentral.com. You can review Luke’s narrative and his conclusion regarding the subject.
CONCLUSION
A. Outline.
1. The Art of Greek Parsing
B. Summarize Main Points.
1. We conducted a Greek Parsing Exercise to discover who received the Holy Ghost Baptism with Empowerment on the Day of Pentecost.
2. Many claims have been made today regarding this subject. Besides the 12-apostles, 1) the 120 disciples, 2) the multitude, 3) the 3000 baptized, and 4) many in some denominations today have received the Holy Ghost baptism with empowerment: quite a list, and it is growing. All of these were proven false through this exercise.
3. However, our proposition that only the 12-apostles were baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit of promise was the absolute truth. We allowed the exercise in Greek Parsing to settle the matter. We used Luke’s Chronological Narrative of the events on Pentecost as our scriptures of discovery. The outcome was settled through the exercise of “Greek Parsing.”
4. When you have faith concerns that need to be rightly discovered, remember to refer to this exercise as a starting point to resolve these spiritual matters. We can trust the Word of God! There are lessons on SermonCentral.com that we have done ourselves to bring closure to religious doubt and error. Feel free to download them for you to use as a guide and an answer that will stand critique.
C. Invitation. Present God’s pattern of conversion. Jesus said: “Come unto me all ye that labor,” Matthew 11:28-30. [Explain the POC, i.e., hearing and believing the gospel; repentance of all past sins, Luke 24:44-47; confessing faith in Christ, as the Son of God, Matthew 10:32-33; and then, by obeying the gospel, Romans 10:16-18; Romans 6:17-18; that is to: “repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:38; Acts 5:31-32; Ephesians 1:13-14].
D. Exhortation. “With many other words did he testify and exhort, saying: save yourselves from this untoward generation,” Acts 2:40.
E. Motivation/Persuasion. We love you here at this congregation of God’s people and want the best for your life and your family. We invite you now to come and respond to the love of God through the death of his Son. What you do today will have lasting benefits for you and perhaps those you love, whether family or friends.
Acknowledgments and Commendations
To: "Render therefore to all their dues: tributes to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; and honor to whom honor (is due),” Romans 13:7. I acknowledge my consultation with these distinguished authors.
References
1. Merriam-Webster, since 1828, by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated (Merriam-Webster.com), 2017.
2. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible, by Matthew Henry, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Grand Rapids, MI, 1706.
3. The People's New Testament, by B. W. Johnson, Christian Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1891.
4. The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament; United Bible Societies,’ Fourth, Corrected Edition, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL, 1990.
5. Textus Receptus, taken from the Greek Text of Stephens 1550, The Englishman’s Greek New Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, First Zondervan Printing, 1970.
6. Clarke Commentary on the Bible, Eight Volumes, Published 1810-1826, New York, Published by J. Emory and B. Waugh, for the Methodist Episcopal Church, at the conference office, 13 Crosby-Street., J. Collord, Printer, 1831.
7. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, by W. E. Vine, Fleming H. Revell Company, Old Tappan, NJ, Copyright, 1981.
8. The BlueLetterBible.org (BLB’s) Interlinear, Textus Receptus; and the Morphological GNT, Copyright 2022, by the Blue Letter Bible. This tool allows you to access the Greek New Testament in both manuscripts. http://www.blb.org/The BLB also provides tutorials to help you learn how to use it. Link, (www.BLB.org).
We thank the entire BLB.org staff for their work and dedication to helping ministers and teachers better understand the Word of God. Become familiar with this tool of study and assistance in preparing your messages that will encourage and strengthen those who hear you expound upon the word of God.
Note: Review my other lessons, which include the Art of Greek Parsing. Use “Greek Parsing Exercise” to search for them when you visit SermonCentral.com or on the Internet. We also thank the workers and staff at SermonCentral.com for helping those who preach and teach the word of God.
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Contact Information
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