Luke 19:47

He was teaching (hn didaskwn). Periphrastic imperfect. Daily (to kaq hmeran). Note the accusative neuter article, "as to the according to the day," very awkward English surely, but perfectly good Greek. The same idiom occurs in John 11:3 . Sought (ezhtoun). Imperfect active, conative imperfect, were seeking, trying to seek. The principal men of the people (oi prwtoi tou laou). The first men of the people. The position after the verb and apart from the chief priests and the scribes calls special attention to them. Some of these "first men" were chief priests or scribes, but not all of them. The lights and leaders of Jerusalem were bent on the destruction (apolesai) of Jesus. The raising of Lazarus from the dead brought them together for this action ( John 11:47-53 ; John 12:9-11 ).