The Verse in Focus
Ἰδόντες δὲ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα
This verse from Matthew 2:10 is rich in both grammatical beauty and expressive emotion.
A Closer Look at the Structure
This vivid sentence from Matthew 2:10 captures the intense reaction of the magi upon seeing the star. The grammar and word choices build layer upon layer of emotional intensity. To understand how Greek communicates this, let’s break down the key features of this verse.
The Power of the Aorist Participle: Ἰδόντες
The word ἰδόντες is the aorist active participle masculine plural nominative of ὁράω (“to see”). As an aorist participle, it expresses an action that is prior to the main verb — “having seen.” In this case, the participle introduces the cause of the main action: they rejoiced because they saw. Greek often uses the aorist participle to set up temporal or causal relationships, and here it introduces the visual moment that triggers the outpouring of joy.
The Main Verb: ἐχάρησαν
ἐχάρησαν is the aorist passive (deponent) indicative 3rd person plural of χαίρω (“to rejoice”). Though morphologically passive, this verb is deponent, meaning it is active in meaning despite its form. It indicates a completed action — they did rejoice. The use of the aorist tense here underscores the full and decisive response to what they saw.
How Greek Expresses Intensity: χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα
Greek can express emphasis through word choice and word order. This phrase — χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα — is an exquisite example of intensification.
– χαρὰν is the accusative singular of χαρά, meaning “joy.” It serves as the object of ἐχάρησαν, effectively functioning as a cognate accusative — a noun that restates the verb’s action (i.e., “they rejoiced a joy”).
– μεγάλην is the accusative singular feminine adjective from μέγας meaning “great.” It modifies χαρὰν, amplifying the kind of joy they experienced.
– σφόδρα is an adverb meaning “exceedingly,” “very much,” or “greatly.” Its position after the noun phrase strengthens the intensity even further. In classical and Koine Greek, σφόδρα is one of the strongest adverbs of degree available.
So the phrase literally reads: “They rejoiced [with] great joy exceedingly.” This triple-stacked intensity — verb, noun, adjective, adverb — is a hallmark of Semitic influence in Greek, likely reflecting Hebrew patterns such as כִּי גָדוֹל שִׂמְחָה מְאֹד.
Stylistic Echoes: Hebrew and Greek Joy
The structure ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα mirrors Semitic poetic emphasis, echoing Hebrew idioms that express extreme emotion through repetition and intensifiers. The cognate accusative (χαρὰν following ἐχάρησαν) resembles Hebrew verbs like שָׂמַח with their corresponding nouns (e.g., שִׂמְחָה). This layering of forms gives the verse not just grammatical force, but emotional weight.
The Joy That Saw the Star
This small verse teaches us how Greek — with its participles, deponent verbs, and intensifiers — paints rich emotional portraits. The magi didn’t simply rejoice. They rejoiced a joy. A great one. Exceedingly. This is how the Greek New Testament captures the majesty of the moment: a burst of divine guidance met by hearts prepared to overflow.
