Mark 9:12
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἠλίας μὲν ἐλθὼν πρῶτον ἀποκαθιστᾷ πάντα· καὶ πῶς γέγραπται ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἵνα πολλὰ πάθῃ καὶ ἐξουδενωθῇ;
Focus Topic: Contrast with μὲν… καί, Aorist and Present Participles, and Purpose Clause with ἵνα
This verse captures a moment of Christological teaching in response to the disciples’ question about Elijah. It uses contrast, rhetorical questioning, and a purpose clause to highlight the paradox of the suffering Son of Man despite the promised restoration.
Introductory Structure: ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς
- ὁ ἀποκριθείς — aorist passive participle, nominative masculine singular, from ἀποκρίνομαι (“to answer”), used substantivally with the article: “the one having answered.”
- εἶπεν — aorist active indicative, 3rd singular, from λέγω (“he said”).
- αὐτοῖς — dative plural pronoun: “to them.”
This introductory phrase sets the speaker (Jesus) and prepares for the theological content to follow.
First Clause: Ἠλίας μὲν ἐλθὼν πρῶτον ἀποκαθιστᾷ πάντα
- μὲν — the first half of a contrastive pair; here it prepares for the balancing καί rather than the usual δὲ.
- Ἠλίας — subject, Elijah.
- ἐλθών — aorist active participle, nominative masculine singular from ἔρχομαι: “having come.”
- πρῶτον — adverb: “first.”
- ἀποκαθιστᾷ — present active indicative, 3rd singular from ἀποκαθίστημι: “restores.”
- πάντα — accusative neuter plural: “all things.”
This clause affirms the expectation: “Elijah indeed, coming first, restores all things.” The participle ἐλθών expresses prior action to the main verb.
Rhetorical Question: καὶ πῶς γέγραπται…;
- καί — “and,” serving here to introduce an unexpected contrast or tension with the previous expectation.
- πῶς — interrogative adverb: “how?”
- γέγραπται — perfect passive indicative, 3rd singular, from γράφω: “has it been written?”
- ἐπὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου — prepositional phrase meaning “concerning the Son of Man.”
This rhetorical question introduces a prophetic tension: How is it written that the Son of Man must suffer, even though Elijah restores?
Purpose Clause: ἵνα πολλὰ πάθῃ καὶ ἐξουδενωθῇ
- ἵνα — introduces a purpose or result clause.
- πάθῃ — aorist active subjunctive, 3rd singular from πάσχω: “that he might suffer.”
- ἐξουδενωθῇ — aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd singular from ἐξουδενόω: “that he might be treated with contempt.”
The double verb structure stresses the humiliation of the Son of Man — not only suffering, but also rejection.
Key Observations
- μὲν… καί introduces a contrast not of opposition, but of paradox — both Elijah’s restoration and the Messiah’s suffering are true.
- γέγραπται points to prophetic scripture, especially Isaiah’s suffering servant theme.
- The use of the aorist subjunctives (πάθῃ, ἐξουδενωθῇ) under ἵνα expresses prophetic destiny.
Syntax of Messianic Paradox
This verse showcases Jesus’ prophetic awareness and mastery of scripture through tightly constructed syntax. He affirms the Elijah expectation but immediately sets it alongside the counterintuitive truth of the suffering Messiah. The grammar draws the hearer into theological tension — the one who restores all must also be rejected. This is the mystery of the cross embedded in syntax.
