After Jesus promises Zacharius that his house will be protected.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
Because this son of the man shows up at that having destroyed to seek after and rescue.
What Jesus seeks and rescues here, translated as "which was lost" and "the lost," a mystery here. The object, whatever it is, is from a singular, neuter Greek word. There a no neuter Greek words in the previous verses. It doesn't refer to a person or a group of people because the word would be masculine. If it was a concept, it would most likely be feminine. This is a thing. The "because" that begins this verse indicates Jesus is answering a question. The word may have been in that question.
Nor it is something that has been lost. The "that which was lost" and "the lost" translation doesn't fit the form of the Greek, which is a definite article followed by participle, a verbal adjective, which in the English present tense end in "-ing.". This adjective acts like a noun because of the definite article, "that which" and "the." This participle is not passive the thing lost. Instead, it is what is acting. In the present tense, this would be translated as "the one losing" or "the one destroying." The primary meaning of the verb is "to destroy," but this verb is usually translated as "to lose" in the Bible.
However, this participle is not in the present tense, but the perfect tense, which means that its action was completed in the past. This is translated as "having lost" or "having destroyed." So, with the article, "that having lost" or "that having destroyed." What thing has lost or destroyed that Jesus came to seek and rescue?
This verse works as a play on words. Notice how the verbs "seek" and "save" are the opposite of the two meaning of the verb describing the thing as "losing" and "destroying."
What verb has "that having lost" as its direct object? We assume it is the verbs "seek" and "save," but these are infinitives and the direct object form can be either their subject or direct object. What if it is the object of the active verb, translated as "come?" In that case, it means "to arrive at a place." This makes "that having destroy" is where Jesus came to seek and rescue.
For the Son of (MW) man is(WV) come to seek and to save that which(IW) was(WT) lost(WF).
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "man" is not shown in the English translation.
- WV --Wrong Voice - The "come" here is translated as passive but it is active.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "which" doesn't exist in the source.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The "was" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, , "having been lost.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "man" is not shown in the English translation.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The "lost" indicates the past tense but the tense is past perfect.
- WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, , "having been lost.
For -- The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause".
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Son -- The word translated as "son" more generally means "child" or "descendant." The phrase "the son of man" is the common way Christ refers to himself. It is discussed in detail in this article. Its sense may be "the child of the man."
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that required the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession, but it can also mean "belonging to," "part of," "which is," "than" (in comparisons), or "for," "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
man - The Greek word for "man" means "man," "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men," "people," and "peoples."
is -- (WV) This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. The verb here is translated as passive but it is active.
come -- The word translated as "is come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "come" or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas.
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
seek -- The Greek verb translated as "to seek" has a variety of meanings around the idea of "searching" and "desiring". It has a sense of seeking with a specific aim.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
save -- "Save" is the Greek word that means "to keep alive" when applied to people or "to keep safe" when applied to things. Christ uses it to mean "rescue" in most cases.
that -- The word translated as "that" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. The form is singular neutral, "this thing".
which -- (IW) This word is not in the Greek source. It was added because the next verb was translated as active rather than as a participle.
was -- (WT) This helping verb indicates the past tense of the verb. This verb is in the past, perfect tense so "has" is correct.
lost -- (WF) The word translated as "was lost" means primarily to destroy or demolish, and "lost" in the sense of destroyed. It is an adjective in the perfect tense, "having been destroyed." This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, "having been lost.." WF -- Wrong Form - This is not an active verb but a participle, a verbal adjective, , "having been lost.
For -- The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause".
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
Son -- The word translated as "son" more generally means "child" or "descendant." The phrase "the son of man" is the common way Christ refers to himself. It is discussed in detail in this article. Its sense may be "the child of the man."
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that required the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession, but it can also mean "belonging to," "part of," "which is," "than" (in comparisons), or "for," "concerning" or "about" with transitive verbs.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
man - The Greek word for "man" means "man," "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men," "people," and "peoples."
came -- The word translated as "is come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "come" or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas.
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
seek -- The Greek verb translated as "to seek" has a variety of meanings around the idea of "searching" and "desiring". It has a sense of seeking with a specific aim.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and", but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").
to -- This "to" is added to create the infinitive form of the following verb.
save -- "Save" is the Greek word that means "to keep alive" when applied to people or "to keep safe" when applied to things. Christ uses it to mean "rescue" in most cases.
the -- The word translated as "the " is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this", "that", "these", "those"). See this article for more. The form is singular neutral, "this thing".
lost -- (WT, WF) The word translated as "lost" means primarily to destroy or demolish, and "lost" in the sense of destroyed. This verb is in the past, perfect tense so it needs a "has" or "having." It is an adjective in the perfect then, "having been destroyed"
ἦλθεν ( verb 3rd sg aor ind act ) "Is come" is erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out", "to come", "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.
γὰρ (partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for", "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what."
ὁ [[821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
υἱὸς (noun sg masc nom) "The Son" is huios, which means a "son," and more generally, a "child." It is used generally to refer to any male descendant.
τοῦ -- [821 verses](article sg masc gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). It usually precedes a noun or changes the word it precedes (adjective, infinitive, participle, etc.) to act like a noun. When not preceding a a word that can become a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones." --
ἀνθρώπου (noun sg masc gen) "Of man" is anthropos, which is "man," and, in plural, "mankind." It also means "humanity" and that which is human and opposed to that which is animal or inanimate.
ζητῆσαι ( verb aor inf act ) "Seek" is zeteo, which means "inquire for", "search for", "seek after", "desire", and "feel the want of."
καὶ (conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "but." 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."
σῶσαι ( verb aor inf act ) "Save" is sozo (soizo), which means "save from death", "keep alive", "keep safe", "preserve", "maintain", "keep in mind", "carry off safely," and "rescue."
τὸ (article sg neut acc) "that which" is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one" or, in the plural, "the ones."
ἀπολωλός. (part sg perf act neut acc) "was lost" is apollymi, which means "to demolish", "to lay waste", "to lose", "to perish", "to die", "to cease to exist," and "to be undone."