What Does Matthew 26:54 Mean in the King James?
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
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
The scriptures reach their fullness through the very event this verse says must happen.
THE MEANING
The written witness reaches fullness through what happens. The word “must” gives that fulfillment its sharp edge: the event is not incidental to the words becoming complete.
THE ROOT
πληρωθῶσιν
plērōthōsin
GROWS FROM
πληρ-
plēr-
Greek stem meaning to fill, make full, bring to completion.
“fulfilled” in this verse is plērōthōsin. The verb holds the image of filling to a full measure, so fulfillment carries more than a line matching an event: the written witness reaches fullness through what must happen. Its passive form presents the scriptures as reaching that fullness.
ALSO GROWS
plērōma: Fullness; that which fills or completes.
πλήρωμα
This related word makes the outcome of fulfillment visible as fullness, not merely a box checked.
plērēs: Full, complete.
πλήρης
The same root family names the state of being full, showing the completion contained within “fulfilled.”
THE PATTERN
What is written reaches fullness when its shape becomes visible in what happens.
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.THE THREAD
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.The same verb, πληρόω (plēroō), appears as “fulfil” in both verses. Here it names the Law and the Prophets reaching their full expression, opening this verse as fulfillment of a whole scriptural witness, not just an isolated line.
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