Parables, the Sower
Matthew 13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Matthew 13:6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
A sun, however, rising, it was scorched because of this not having a root, it was withered
Those who lose touch with reality are always burned.
ἡλίου δὲ ἀνατείλαντος ἐκαυματίσθη
A sun, however, rising, it was burnt
διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη.
because of this not having a root, it withered
Strangely, this verse starts with the preposition usually translated as "but," but it is translated as "and." While its parallel in Mark 4:6 starts with the conjunction usually translated as "and," but it is translated as "but." This verse is translated more like the Greek in Mark 4:6 than the Greek here.
The "they" here is incorrect since the verb it is taken from is singular, not plural. Again, both forms of negatives, the objective and subjective appear. The phrase "because they had no" follows the exact same form as the same phrase in the previous verse.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "and" should be something more like "but."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "when" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "was" should be something more like "rise."
- WF - Wrong Form - The "was" is not an active verb but a participle, "rising."
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "they" is translated as plural but it is singular.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "they" is translated as plural but it is singular.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "was" is not an active verb but an infinitive use as a noun, "having."
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "they" is translated as plural but it is singular.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "when" doesn't exist in the source.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "came" should be something more like "rise."
- IP - Inserted Phrase-- The phrase "the plants" doesn't exist in the source.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "were" is translated as plural but it is singular.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "they" is translated as plural but it is singular.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "they" is translated as plural but it is singular.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "had" is not an active verb but a participle, "rising."
And - (WW) The Greek word translated as "and" joins phrases in an adversarial way and is usually translated as "but." Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
when - (IW) There is no "when" in the Greek source. It was added by the KJV translators.
the - (IW) There is no Greek article here.
sun - "Sun" is helios, which means the "sun," "life," "day," "sunshine," "the sun's heat," "brightness," and the sun-god.
was -- (WW, WF) This is not the verb "to be" but one that means "rise." The form is not active, but an adjective, "rising."
up, -- This is from the prefix of the previous verb that means "up."
they -- (WN) This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
were -- This helping verb "were" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
scorched; - "Scorched" is a verb that, in the passive, means "to be heated" or "to be burnt up."
and - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
because - The word translated as "because" means "through," in the midst of," "because of" or "by (a cause)."
they -- (WN) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. This word is singular, not plural, but it is used to make the following verbal infinitive into a noun describing the action.
had - (WF) The word translated as "had" means "to possess," "to hold," or "to keep." However, it is an infinitive, introduced by an article, so it takes on the role of a noun in the negative, so "the lack." The verb is singular and it is not an active verb. It is in the form of an infinitive, "to have" but acting as a noun, "the having."
no - The negative "no" used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is about appearances not necessarily reality. It is also used to indicate a relative comparison. This negative does not modify the word "root," but the verbal noun "having.
root, "Root" is the Greek noun that means "root" and anything that springs from a root. It includes the roots of hairs, feathers, and teeth. It is also a metaphor for roots as a foundation, such as "the roots of the earth."
they -- (WN) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. This word is singular, not plural, but it is used to make the following verbal infinitive into a noun describing the action.
withered -- "Withered" is a verb that means "to become dry," "to become parched," and "to wither away." This verb is singular and passive so, "it is withered."
away - -- This comes from the previous verb.
But - The Greek word translated as "but" joins phrases in an adversarial way and is usually translated as "but." Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
when - (IW) There is no "when" in the Greek source. It was added by the KJV translators.
the - (IW) There is no Greek article here.
sun - "Sun" is helios, which means the "sun," "life," "day," "sunshine," "the sun's heat," "brightness," and the sun-god.
came -- (WW, WF) This is not the verb "come" but one that means "rise." The form is not active, but an adjective, "rising."
up, -- This is from the prefix of the previous verb that means "up."
the plants -- (IP) There is nothing that can be translated as "the plants" in the Greek source.
were -- (WN) his helping verb "were" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. The verb is singular not plural.
scorched; - "Scorched" is a verb that, in the passive, means "to be heated" or "to be burnt up."
and - The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
they -- (WN) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. This word is singular, not plural, but it is used to make the following verbal infinitive into a noun describing the action.
withered -- "Withered" is a verb that means "to become dry," "to become parched," and "to wither away." This verb is singular and passive so, "it is withered."
because - The word translated as "because" means "through," in the midst of," "because of" or "by (a cause)."
they -- (WN) The word translated as "they" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. This word is singular, not plural, but it is used to make the following verbal infinitive into a noun describing the action.
had - (WF) The word translated as "had" means "to possess," "to hold," or "to keep." However, it is an infinitive, introduced by an article, so it takes on the role of a noun in the negative, so "the lack." The verb is singular and it is not an active verb. It is in the form of an infinitive, "to have" but acting as a noun, "the having."
no - The negative "no" used here is the Greek negative of a subjective opinion, commands, and requests. The sense is about appearances not necessarily reality. It is also used to indicate a relative comparison. This negative does not modify the word "root," but the verbal noun "having.
root, "Root" is the Greek noun that means "root" and anything that springs from a root. It includes the roots of hairs, feathers, and teeth. It is also a metaphor for roots as a foundation, such as "the roots of the earth."
ἡλίου [8 verses](noun sg masc gen) "The sun" is from helios, which means the "sun," "life," "day," "sunshine," "the sun's heat," "brightness," and the sun-god. It is not in a
δὲ (partic) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so").
ἀνατείλαντος [5 verses](part sg aor act masc gen) "Was up" is from anatellô, which means "to rise," "to make rise up," "to give birth," "to gush forth [water]," "to bring forth," "to spring up [plants]," "rise [mountains]," and "to appear above the horizon [sun,moon]."
ἐκαυματίσθη [2 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind pass) "They were scorched" is kaumatizô, which means "to burn," "to suffer from the heat," "to heat," and, in the passive, "to be heated," "to be burnt up."
καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
διὰ (prep) Because" is dia the preposition which means, with the acc. means "through," and causally, "because of," "by reason of," and "by aid of."
τὸ (article sg neut acc) This is the Greek article "the" in the form of an object of the proposition. Since it introduces an infinitive verb, that verb acts like a noun.
μὴ "Not" is from me , which is the negative used in prohibitions and expressions of doubt meaning "not" and "no." As οὐ (ou) negates fact and statement; μή rejects, οὐ denies; μή is relative, οὐ absolute; μή subjective, οὐ objective.
ἔχειν (verb pres inf act) "Have" is from echo, which means "to have," "to hold," "to possess," "to keep," "to have charge of," "to maintain," "to hold fast," "to bear," "to keep close," "to keep safe," and "to have means to do."
ῥίζαν [5 verses](noun sg fem acc) "Root" is rhiza, which means "root" and anything that springs from a root. It includes the roots of hairs, feathers, and teeth. It is also a metaphor for roots as a foundation, such as "the roots of the earth."
ἐξηράνθη. [4 verses]( 3rd sg aor ind pass) "They withered away" is from xêrainô, which means "to become dry," "to become parched," and "to wither away."
The word translated as "root" is a metaphor for a foundation.
The word translated as "withered away" means "to dry up" and is a symbol for death.
Jesus keeps nature and God clearly separate because of these past confusions. This neat verse captures the balance of beneficial and harmful elements in the natural world. Jesus consistently uses water as the symbol of life and dryness as the symbol of death. Not the description of the land of death as "the dry places" in Matthew 12:43. However, in Christ's teaching, light is always beneficial, but heat is always a symbol for pain, suffering, and death.