Δεῦτε (Deute) in Matthew 4:19: Verb Second Person Plural Present Active Imperative
Δεῦτε (Deute) in Matthew 4:19
Textual Witness
The witness reads Δεῦτε in Matthew 4:19.
How The Form Affects Interpretation
The imperative gives the call its direct force.
How To Communicate It
Use it to show that following begins with Jesus' summons.
What Not To Say
- Grammatical form should serve context, not override it.
- Do not detach come from after me.
- Do not build a full doctrine from this form alone.
- Do not use morphology to detach the word from Matthew's immediate argument.
What Does The Label Mean?
Verb: the form names an action or state in the clause.
Present: often views the action as in progress, customary, or presently in view. Context decides the exact force.
Active: presents the subject as carrying out the action.
Imperative: gives a command or summons.
Second person: the form directly addresses the hearers.
Not applicable: this finite verb form is not using noun case to mark its clause role.
Plural: the verb's number should be read with its subject in this clause.
Not applicable: this finite verb form does not use grammatical gender.
What The Form Does In This Verse
Come after me
Jesus' call to the first disciples
Summons Simon and Andrew to come after Jesus.
Do not reduce the summons to physical movement only.
How Much The Form Matters Here
High: The imperative is the direct summons in Jesus' call.
Imperative summons. calls the disciples to come after Jesus. Attached to Come after me. Governed by Jesus' call to the first disciples. Read with the after-me phrase.
What does Jesus command the fishermen to do? He tells them to come after him.
Direct: The form directly supports Come.
The command is direct, while the following phrase defines its direction.
Come command becomes generic movement: The occurrence is a discipleship summons because it is joined to after me.
How The Interpretation Is Derived
The witness reads Δεῦτε in Matthew 4:19.
The lemma δεῦτε carries the gloss "come hither, come, hither", and here it functions as a summons to come.
The imperative directly addresses the two brothers and is completed by after me.
Jesus calls the fishermen to come after him.
The form fits Matthew's presentation of discipleship as response to Jesus' authoritative call.
Use it to show that following begins with Jesus' summons.
Do not use the command alone to define every aspect of discipleship.