The "sayings" or "reasonings" that were finished were the subject of the end of Matthew 17 through the end of Matthew 18.

The Greek words for "region" and "mountain" are the same.

• (smooth breathing) "ὄρος" ≈ "mountain".
• (rough breathing) "ὅρος" ≈ "boundary, definition".

Note: The meaning is not determined by the breathing marks. The breathing marks were added to fit the decided meaning.

The ancient Greek word "ὀρος" ≈ "boundary, limit, frontier" and is the source of the English word "horizon".

This is the only other verse in the GNT (Greek New Testament) where the Greek word for "withdrew" is used. This was after the Kingdom Parables of Matthew 13.

The ancient Greek word "ὄχλος" ≈ "multitude, crown" and may, thorough the Greek digamma, be related to the German word "Volk" ≈ "people" as in "Volkswagen" and to the English word "folk".

The ancient Greek word "θεραπεύω" ≈ "wait on, obey, flatter consult, cure, heal" and is the source of the English word "therapy". The primary meaning is that of attending to or waiting on and not of curing or healing.

More: Greek digamma

The ancient Greek word "πειράζω" ≈ "examine" and is often translated in the KJV as "tempt".

The TR (Textus Receptus) uses the word "made". The Greek word is that of "having created" (a created creature).

• "ποιέω" ≈ "make, do" and is the source of the English word "poet" as someone who makes things with words.

The "one" may have a special meaning as, reflexively, "you" by way of the one cookie rule.

The ancient Greek word "χωρίζω" ≈ "separate, divide, distinguish" and is the source of the English word "horizen" and is related to the Greek word for "mountain". The Greek word is from "χωρίς" ≈ "separately, differently" or, as a preposition, "without" or "otherwise".

The Greek word for "joined" is that of, literally, "together yoked". The Greek word for "yoked" is, literally, "two going (together)".

More: One cookie rule

Discuss:

• What "man" or "bird" would try to "separate" a "woman" or "wife" from her "man" or "husband"?
• What "man" or "bird" would try to "separate" the "bride" or "church" from her "groom" or "Jesus"?

What might be the connection between these two ideas? That was the subject of the previous discourse in Matthew 18.

The Greek word for "asunder" is from and has the Greek word for "mountain" in it. The example used in the previous chapter was of a "sheep" going "on" the "mountain" or "definition" to be "great".

Idea pairs:

• Same idea: "join", "glue", "bind", "receive" or "accept"
• Same idea: "separate", "loose", "cut off", "pluck out"

The Greek for "hardness of the heart" is one word in Greek. The ancient Greek word "σκληρός" ≈ "hard, harsh" as in a "hard" heart and is the source of the English word "arteriosclerosis" as a "hardening of the arteries".

The "I say unto you" appears to, in most if not all places, indicate that the next statement has a more literal meaning and another meaning that is the intended meaning.

• Matthew 5: Jesus was talking to disciples (on the mountain)
• Matthew 19: Jesus was answering a question posed by the religious elite (in public)

The Greek word for "fornication", as used by Jesus, has a more general meaning.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus phrased it as the "reasoning" of "fornication". In this context, responding to a direct question of the religious elite, it is just "fornication". Jesus is speaking to those who would be the primary ones to use the "reasoning" of "fornication".

When the disciples do not really understand what Jesus is saying, they tend to ask somewhat strange questions that Jesus then answers.

The KJV translates as "good" the Greek word that means "bring together" and is an example of a counter-factual question.

The disciples are asking a question based on the perceived literal meaning of (part of) what Jesus said.

More: Profitable and expedient counterfactual logic

More: Bringing together an expedient analogy

The ancient Greek word "συμφέρω" ≈ "bring together, work with, to be carried along with" and means, literally, "carry together".

When the disciples ask questions but do not really understand the true meaning, Jesus often provides some enigmatic answers (next verse).

The ancient Greek word "πᾶς" ≈ "all, every".
In the singular, it is "each", "every", "all" of the domain that fits the context. That would be every man that exists.

In the plural, as used here, this would be as a "complete" unit. This would be as all of mankind in general with possible exceptions.

Yogi Berra: Nobody goes there. It's too crowded.

More: Yogi Berra

The Greek translated as "saying" is that of "reasoning".

When the disciples do not understand and ask a question, Jesus provides an enigmatic answer which theologians, pastors, etc., then try to make doctrine.

• Does Jesus mean that some do not "understand" or "receive" the extended "meaning" of what was said?
• Does Jesus say that if it is "given" to you, then you can "understand" it? That is, to those who do not entrap or deceive themselves about what Jesus has said.

[Peter wanting hands and feet washed, How can anyone be saved?, etc.]

The ancient Greek word "χωρέω" ≈ "give ground, give way".

The Latin word "capio" ≈ "take, capture, seize"

The ancient Greek word "χωρέω" ≈ "give ground, give way".

☐ All cannot give ground to this saying.
☐ All cannot give way to this saying.

Since the translators (and later commentators, pastors, etc.) could not "give way" to this saying (separate literal from intended meaning), they came up with the word "receive" or "accept" to fit their literal interpretation. This then goes into the Bible dictionaries as the actual meaning intended by Jesus.

A play on words may be with the ancient Greek word "χωρίζω" ≈ "separate, divide, distinguish" and is the source of the English word "horizen". This word was used in Matthew 19:6 (5 verses earlier).

☐ All cannot separate this saying (literal from intended meaning).

The eunuchs appear to be of three sources.

• nature (from the mother)
• nurture (learned from men)
• combination (both from self)



More: Jeremiah 13: Nature and nurture and leopard spots

If Jesus had meant physical and literal eunuchs, then, in the limit of everyone following that advice, the entire world would cease to exist in 120 years.

Note: UNIX is an operation system on which the play on words with eunuchs is often made. Linus Torvalds rewrote the UNIX kernel and that Open Source rewrite became known as Linux.

More: Matthew 11:1-6: Trapped by an offensive misinterpretation of Jesus

More: Matthew 11:6: Idiomatic misinterpretations that offend

Except for the story in Acts 8 of the Ethiopian eunuch, this is the only place where this word is used in the GNT. Perhaps Jesus was using this word as a code word with an additional meaning using a play on words.

• "εὐνοῦχος" ≈ "overseer of a harem, eunuch" and, in Christian theology, a person who abstains from sexual relations.
• "εὐ" ≈ "good" (prefix) and "νοῦ" ≈ "mind" and "χοι" ≈ "dust, soil, earth".

Using the deeper meaning of what Jesus means, this may refer to a person who abstains from deceptions, seductions, etc., of the believers (sheep) of the body of Christ.

• "εὐνοῦχος" ≈ "overseer of a harem, eunuch" and, in Christian theology, a person who abstains from sexual relations.

Some verses from Matthew 19 appear in the following.

• A perfect end to complete perfection
• Damaged goods