What Does Luke 2:50 Mean in the King James?
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
A word can reach your ears before its meaning comes together in you.
THE MEANING
You can hear a saying and still not grasp what it means. The words are present, but understanding has not yet joined them into something clear for you.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that hearing a message means you have already understood it.
THE ROOT
συνῆκαν
synēkan from syniēmi
GROWS FROM
συνίημι (syniēmi), from σύν (syn, together) + ἵημι (hiēmi, put or send)
To put or bring together; by extension, to understand or perceive.
“understood” in this verse is synēkan from syniēmi. The verb pictures understanding as things coming together, not merely as words reaching the ear. Here, the saying is spoken, but its meaning has not yet joined into comprehension.
ALSO GROWS
synesis: understanding, comprehension
σύνεσις
This noun shares the same word family and names the joined-up grasp that is absent here.
synetos: intelligent, discerning
συνετός
This related word describes someone able to bring what they hear into understanding.
ῥῆμα
rhēma
GROWS FROM
ῥέω
rheō
To flow; to speak or utter.
“saying” in this verse is rhēma. A rhēma is something spoken, an utterance already out in the open. The verse holds a gap between speech arriving and its meaning becoming clear.
ALSO GROWS
rheō: to flow; to speak or utter
ῥέω
The related verb points to speech as something that comes forth.
rhēsis: speech, utterance
ῥῆσις
This related noun keeps the focus on words spoken aloud, which can still remain uncomprehended.
THE PATTERN
Words can reach the ear before their meaning comes together in understanding.
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.THE THREAD
And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.Luke 18:34 uses the same Greek verb for “understood”: συνῆκαν (synēkan), from συνίημι (syniēmi), to bring together or comprehend. The shared root makes the gap visible again: words are spoken, but their meaning has not yet come together.
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