Koine Foundations

Look at the large letters I use to write to you, now with my own hand. (Galatians 6:11)

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Word Focus
letter (of the alphabet)
γράμμα / gramma
<Hear It>

This Greek alphabet first appeared in the eighth century B.C. and underwent changes over the next 400 years. Several versions developed in the areas around the Aegean Sea. But in 403 B.C. in Athens, one version was officially adopted as the standard alphabet. Within 100 years it replaced all other versions of the alphabet in the Greek-speaking world. This official alphabet consisted of the upper-case letters which are still used today, over 2400 years later! The lower case letters gradually developed during the Byzantine period.

Three letters of the Greek alphabet are mentioned in the New Testament – Alpha, Iota, and Omega. Alpha and Omega are mentioned together three times in the divine self-designation, “I am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13). Alpha is the first letter of the alphabet and Omega is the last letter. The equivalent phrase in English might be, “I am the A and the Z”. As the Alpha and the Omega, God is the originator, controller, and completer of all things – both creation and history have their origin and goal in Him.

Iota is mentioned one time. In Matthew 5:18 Jesus says:

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or one pen stroke will ever pass away from the law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)

Iota is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet. Letters are composed of one or more strokes that distinguish one letter from another. For example, one small stroke makes the the difference between the English letters E and F and the words EAST and FAST. Small details matter.

With this statement, Jesus affirmed the extent and duration of the Old Testament’s authority. It extends right down to the smallest detail (to the smallest letter and stroke). It endures until God’s purposes reveled in it are accomplished.

The key verse for this post, Galatians 6:11, is near the end of Paul’s letter addressed to believers in the Roman province of Galatia. Up to that point in the letter he has been dictating to a writing secretary. As explained in a previous post, it was a common practice in the Roman and Greek worlds to use the services of a writing secretary called an amanuensis when writing a letter. Based on internal evidence in his letters, it appears that Paul regularly used an amanuensis to write his letters. In verse 11, Paul draws attention to the fact that he has taken over and is completing the letter in his own handwriting. He did this to authenticate the letter and to emphasize the importance of the summary that follows.

Why did Paul use large letters? Scholars have various opinions, but here are the two most likely ones. The large letters were used for emphasis, similar to how we use bold letters for emphasis in printing or text messages. Or Paul used large letters because of his poor eye-sight which he possibly references in Galatians 4:15.

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Word Focus Lexicon

Lexical Form: τὸ γράμμα γράμματος <Hear It>
Gloss: letter (of the alphabet)
Part of Speech: Third Declension Neuter Noun
New Testament Frequency: 14
Strong’s Number: G1121 (Link to Blue Letter Bible Lexicon)

Unless otherwise noted, English translations of Bible verses are by the author from the Greek text and are not quotations from any copyrighted Bible version or translation.