"Help by the Way #1 -- The Greek article" by Charles H. Welch from The
Berean Expositor, circa 1912-13

The nature of this magazine, and its limited size, precludes the idea
of attempting to teach Greek.  Many of our readers have, however,
commenced this interesting study and so we intend, as occasion offers,
to insert a page which, while being of interest to all, will be
particularly useful for those commencing N.T. Greek.

The article " the."

Some, through not realizing the accuracy and delicacy of the Greek
language, are apt to pass over with scant attention the little word "
the."  The A.V. on numerous occasions omits the article where it should
be inserted, and inserts it where it should be omitted.

"The (one) pinnacle of the temple" becomes "a pinnacle" (as though
there were many).  Instead of "the teacher of Israel," we read of
Nicodemus that he was but "a teacher." "The virgin," namely, the one
foretold by Isaiah, is translated in Matt. i. 23, "a virgin," thereby
losing all the emphasis of fulfilled prophecy.  The unwarranted
insertion of the article in John iv. 27, "the woman," instead of "a
woman," changes the ground of the disciples' wonder.  They knew nothing
of the woman's history.  Their surprise was that the Lord (a Jew and a
man), should thus freely be speaking to any woman.

Many of us have realized the importance of the article or its omission
in such expressions, "The Spirit " -- the Giver, and "spirit " -- His
gifts.  The following summary may be useful:

The article.

(1) Definite.  The, that, this.  "The virgin."  "This persuasion" (Gal.
v. 8).

(2) Explanative. "The adoption, that is to say, the redemption of our
body" (Rom. viii. 23).

(3) It denotes a class or kind. "The poor, the man" (mankind, as we
say).

(4) It indicates the subject of a sentence, "The Word was God."

(5) When the article is present it demonstrates, "That (Gk. the) good
thing" (2 Tim. i. I4).

When the article is absent it describes the essence or character.

John i. 14. "The Word (demonstrative -- one particular person) was made
flesh" (i.e. partook of flesh and its characteristics, sin excepted).

We could not say, "The Word was made A flesh," for that would be
absurd, yet many, for their own purposes, translate a similar
construction, "The Word was A God," because the absurdity is not so
apparent.

The article is continually used before abstract nouns, such as
"repentance," "righteousness."  The idea is that the abstract word is
present before the mind's eye.  The article also shows when words are
used in apposition. "The church which is the body of Him" (Eph. i. 22,
23).  The church and the body are here mutually inclusive.

In the construction of phrases the article is continually employed. 
There is no word "son," or "things," in the phrases, "The (son) of
Zebedee," or "The (things) of Gesar," "son" and "things" being
represented simply by "the" (masc. sing.), and " the " (neuter plur.).