1 John 3:9

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Wed Dec 22 17:37:11 EST 1999


To: Paul Dixon,

SCM: << I have doubts as to the possibility of a "habitual present" with 
the negative particle "OU" where the resulting meaning clearly means that 
one only occasionally does this thing, but one does not do it on a habitual 
bases. It just doesn't make sense to me. >>

PD: << I don't know where you get the idea that a negative particle OU on a 
present tense cannot or should not denote the negation of habitual 
activity, unless you reject the notion altogether of the present
tense denoting habitual activity. Some clarification here?

I would be more than happy to try to clarify my comment. As I see it what 
Zerwick and others are really suggesting is that (at 1 John 3:9) both OU 
POIEI and OU DUNATAI are not so much "habitual presents," but because of 
the negative particle have become mysteriously enough a "sporadic present" 
so that: hAMARTIAN OU POIEI and OU DUNATAI hAMARTANEIN means: "only 
sporadically sins."

IMO Greek syntax does not work like that. One cannot simply negate a 
present tense verb so as to create a "sporadic present." This is IMO the 
fallacy of Fanning's analysis of this issue. Fanning investigates whether 
or not there is a "habitual present." And he concludes:

<< ... the habitual interpretation of 1 John 3:4-10 is certainly 
'possible,' based on NT usage >> (216).

But what he overlooks IMO is that the two present verbs in 1 Jn 3:9 have 
been negated, and none of the examples he cites as evidence for the 
"habitual present" are present tense verbs which have been negated. Thus in 
my opinion, Fanning has failed to present one legitimate, undisputed 
example of a present tense verb negated by the Greek particle OU which 
implies a "sporadic present."

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree), 
what do I know?"




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