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Emphatic Elements in the Greek: Matthew 24:32-41 (Summary & Review)

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Justin Alfred, a Biblical language expert, has been walking us through “emphatic negations” in Biblical Greek. Emphatic negations are an explicitly strong way to express a negative. While a normal negative might mean “that will not happen,” an emphatic negative further tells the reader that  there is not even the slightest possibility that something will occur.

To illustrate the use of emphatic negations, Justin began a blog series on the emphatic elements found in Matthew 24. This incredible series concluded last week, so just in case you missed it, here is a list of each post:

  1. Section I on Matthew 24:1-3.
    “…even though Titus attempted to stop his soldiers from burning and completely destroying the Temple, he failed to do so, and thus, Jesus’ Words, totally apart from his cognizance, were completely fulfilled in Matthew 24:2: ‘And He answered and said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.'”
  2. Section II on Matthew 24:4-8.
    “…what Jesus was talking about in this section will continue until He returns, which includes not only false teachers and teachings (e.g. the Jehovah’s Witnesses as well), but also a continuation of wars, famines, earthquakes, plagues, etc.”
  3. Section III on Matthew 24:9-14.
    “In this section, Jesus talks about the persecution that His followers will endure until He returns, as well as the fact that ‘many’ of His professed followers ‘will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.'”
  4. Section IV on Matthew 24:15-28.
    “This passage is clearly talking about something that will be a sign of the soon return of Jesus, and that has to do with the ‘abomination of desolation’ that is going to be once again erected in the ‘holy place.’  I say once again, because this first occurred in December, 167 BC, under the Seleucid King, Antiochus Epiphanes.
  5. Section V on Matthew 24:29-31.
    “According to the eschatological chronology given prior to this passage, this is unequivocally referring to the period of time ‘immediately after the great tribulation’ that we see being described in Daniel and Revelation covering a seven or three and one-half year time period, depending upon whether one adopts a pre or mid-tribulation rapture position…”
  6. Section VI on Matthew 24:32-35.
    “We are now at the core of this whole passage with regard to the subjunctive of emphatic negation.  Jesus is saying emphatically that neither ‘this generation’ will in NO WAY WHATSOEVER ‘pass away until all these things take place,’ and even though ‘heaven and earth will pass away,’ His ‘words shall in NO WAY AT ANY TIME EVER ‘pass away.'”
  7. Section VII on Matthew 24:36-41.
    “What all of this means is that one’s past actions have become so enmeshed into the present result, that the present result is the ultimate reality and the unalterable, state of being of repeated, past actions.  Consequently, because of God’s sovereign purpose and plan, even ‘before the foundation of the world’ (Ephesians 1:3-6), His ultimate actions and purposes are at times far beyond our seriously flawed, human ability to comprehend, grasp, and understand, which UNEQUIVOCALLY INCLUDES THE RETURN OF CHRIST!”

Thank you, Justin, for taking the time to walk us through the emphatic elements found in Matthew 24.

Comments

  2. I need prayer My husband and I have cancer, my husband has prostate cancer and I have terminal brain cancer. Its very hard, but if it werent fo God in our lives we wouldnt have the peace. Well I have alot of lost friends with the election, but we all have our convictions. Whatever happens it God that has control not us, and all things will happen no matter who you vote for. Gods speed Love In Christ Jesus Janet

    • Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

    • Janet,

      My family will lift yours up in Love, Prayer, and Healing. May you find comfort and rest under His Pinions. He does have you in His heart and He will never let go of you.

      We will speak these word over you and yours now.

      Numbers 6:24-26

      The LORD bless you, and keep you;
      The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;
      The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’

      May the Grace OF Jesus cover you and comfort you.
      Donna your Sister in Christ.

    • Janet~

      I will also join my brothers and sisters in prayer for you and your husband, for healing and for God’s perfect will to be done. Your burden is heavy, but our God, as you have written, is in control, so we know that we can rest in Him: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (Jn. 14:27).

      God bless you, my sister!
      Barbara

  3. This was a great read..and study. I was raised as a JW; I think because I was so young I soaked it in. My mother, who is still a JW, brought my brothers and I to the meetings 3 times a week. We also had book studies, and we went into service, teaching about the “kingdom”. I stopped going to the meeting when I rebelled as a teen..about 14. I matured, and started a family. At 25/26 I honestly believed that if I wasn’t a JW, then I was doing it wrong. I didn’t want to go to meetings, or go out into service, but i wanted a relationship with God.So I decided to start reading the bible. It came to life..I began studying the history of the Israelites, now and then. I was fascinated. One night I was thinking about how loved we must be, if God doesn’t just destroy us. I got into a chat room, and started talking about how I was feeling. I was welcomed by many, and one in particular, a Catholic man, began a conversation with me. It was shortly after that the veil over my eyes was lifted. I understood the “Trinity”, and I also understood why the JW swore against it, just like I had more than 20 years. The Greek and Hebrew words for God, Lord, etc. were all changed to the word Jehovah. Of course when you are forbade from reading other bibles other than the King James, and are in fact even cautioned against reading your own(the watchtower society did it for you), but making a point about how the bible is so strongly used in teaching, as if no other christian religion uses it. I was convinced that only the Inspired Translation was a true translation of the Inspired Word of God, the Holy Book.

    When I got a Strong’s dictionary I began looking up and understanding many words, including GOD and LORD. I became to understand that the word Jehovah was hardly used by our Creator, and when he did he used it specifically. It ultimately smacked me when I read John 1:1. It blew my mind..four men changed how it was read, to suit their teachings. Standard bible transcriptions take dozens of historians, even atheist scholars at times to be sure that the bible is accurate. Four men, none of which were scholars, one who claimed to know Hebrew, but later failed, and was disfellowshipped from the Society. The kingdom Hall kept the Bible.

    Anyway, all that to say. I was baptised, fell in love with God, and became a leader in my church. My church shook, my marriage fell apart and later came to a divorce. I believed whole heartedly that God hated divorce, and felt peace knowing God was going to fight for our marriage. It didn’t get better. My ex moved on, shacked up with a woman and her children, moved away from his own. I lost my faith. I began my walk into the wilderness..My armor, shield, sword and all got too heavy, I dropped it. I began running looking for my loss. I was afraid. I found men. I felt wanted. I felt strong again. Now here I am, dating a non believer, living with him in fact. Knowing that what I am doing is wrong, but feeling trapped financially, and emotionally. My desire for God is strong. I still believe. I know He loves me, and wants me. But my fear of being alone again is so strong, that I am unable to do the right thing. I am on the verge of losing my home to foreclosure, but the bank hasn’t taken it yet, I keep thinking that I could potentially move back in, and let God take care of the paperwork..but I lost my faith. I want him to do, so that I can go. But I know he wants to see my faith..I believe, but I’m paralyzed in fear. I love the man I am dating, but even there I can see that our future doesn’t offer much in the way of growth.

    I loved reading your series, it put a spark of fear back into me. I believe, but, I’m complacent. Not a good place to be.

    • Alana,
      Keep Believeing and you faith will grow,
      Keep Seeking and you will find,
      Keep Reading the Word of God and He will reveal, Keep believeing and He will change you, Keep Hoping and He will come,
      Keep Knowing and you will grow strong.
      Keep Praying He send His Workers to Help you.
      Keep asking and He will teach you

      I promise He will never let go of you, even if you can’t hold on anymore
      HE WILL NEVER LET you go if you “LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART”.
      His Love is big enough to cover you. Trust in Jesus,
      Repent for what you know, He knows your heart.
      Remember He hears you, Lay it down at the Cross, and walk away from that life, those things, and become the new creation He promises to make you, and Rest in His Love.
      He did not bring you out to let you die ! He says so in His Word.
      P.S. my ex became a JW also and I tried accept that teaching but my spirit wouldn’t, God had Greater Things For me, and it was Him ! he has plans for you too, or you wouldn’t be here writing right now!!

      Acknowldege Jesus as His Son, Your Savior and Rest in His Promise.
      God will send you want you need He Promised to supply all of them, we just have to keep holding on when it looks bad.
      See with you Heart not your Eyes.

      Peace and LOve be with In Jesus Name.

    • Alana~

      Despite your situation and all you have gone through, it is apparent that you do want to live for God. It’s hard, sometimes, knowing exactly what to write because those of us reading don’t know all the details behind another person’s writings. I want to share a couple of things, but I might be wrong, so please bear with me.

      In your post, you mentioned being baptized, but you never said anything about being born again from above (John 3). In other words, was there a specific time in which you asked for forgiveness and asked Jesus to be Lord over your life? God knows our hearts and what we are capable of doing, given our backgrounds, so I don’t want to get too hung up on the exact words. As a Mormon, I had no concept of who God is or of being a sinner, so all I could say was “I’ve made a mess out of my life. Please do something with me,” but that was all He needed from me. The point is, have you ever called upon the Lord to save you?

      The second thing is that you brought up that a Catholic man was instrumental in giving you understanding. Again, I may be taking your comments too far, but did you become a Catholic? Unfortunately, the RCC is not a Christian denomination. The blog for September 4 has some information that you might want to read.

      Thirdly, while many people, including myself, have called upon the BLB community for prayer, it is to our church, our spiritual family, to whom we should going to lift us up in prayer, to surround us with love and support, and to hold us to biblical accountability. Have you gone to them for help because we weren’t meant to bear things alone. The body of Christ is to hold us up as God’s hands and feet.

      Donna gave some excellent wisdom, so I don’t want to repeat what she said except to say that God has a deep desire to be your all, and there is nothing that is impossible with Him. Cling to His Word and allow it to wash over you and to change you:

      “God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).

      “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” (Ps. 121).

      “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matt. 6:13).

      “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]” (I Cor. 10:13).

      I will keep you in prayer that you will, by God’s strength, power, and love, be freed from sin, healed from abuse, and restored in mind, body, and spirit to be the daughter you were created to be for His glory.

      Love, Barbara

  4. Justin,
    Hello from an old friend from the past. Keep up the great work. Give Janie my love. Alice has gone to be with the Lord, and I’m back at CC Merritt Island with Malcolm.
    Love Ya,
    Charlie

  5. Sorry to hear that’s all. Having a linguist was what prompted me to join in. To bad we never got to any Hebrew.
    J.

    • Dear Jerry:

      That is not all the we are doing with the Greek Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation, but it is all that we are doing in Matthew 24. There is more to come.

      God bless you,

      Justin T. Alfred

  6. Dear Charlie:

    Janie told me that Alice had passed away, and we have prayed for you. Please give Malcolm and Carol Janie’s and my love, and tell them I pray for them consistently as well.

    God bless you,

    Justin