The use of participles

clayton stirling bartholomew c.s.bartholomew at worldnet.att.net
Thu Oct 29 02:51:59 EST 1998


Jerry Dean wrote:
> 
> In Luke 10:25 a question is asked by the lawyer in aorist participle when
> asking what to do.  Jesus then responds with present participle.  Being
> aware that an aorist participle may or may not mean one event, is it
> possible that the lawyer is asking what "one" event can get one eternal
> life, with Jesus responding that it is not "one" act but a "life style"?
> Does Luke contrasts these two participles in this passage to stress
> continual  action against one, or is it just a style for Luke?
> 
Jerry,

I read over the passage and I see nothing at all in the use of participles in
this passage which would lend itself to your proposed interpretation. 

TI POIHSAS ZWHN AIWNION KLHRONOMHSW;

I think that TI POIHSAS may indicate either a single thing or a series of
things. The form of the question is vague. TI is a singular neuter accusative,
and if I understand the semantics of TI, it can refer to a series of things, a
collection of things or a single thing. In short the grammar of the passage
does not contain the information you are looking for. 

Also, I don't see any participle in Jesus' answer:

TOUTO POIEI KAI ZHSHi 

I didn't check any commentaries on this one. Just winging it based on 4-5
years of reading Lukan syntax every day.

Perhaps one of the experts will help you with this.  

-- 
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062



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