Perfect tense in 1 Cor 7:15

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Fri Dec 7 13:51:20 EST 2001


At 7:42 AM -0800 12/7/01, Denny A Diehl wrote:
>Steven,
>
>> > The perfect tense is used in 1 Cor 7:15  DEDOULWTAI.
>> > I think I understand the use of the perfect tense that it
>> > is completed action based on past action.  However, what
>> > is puzzling to me is the OU "not under bondage".  How does
>> > OU effect the force of the perfect tense?  If the bond under
>> > consideration is the marriage bond, then would OU mean
>> > that there never was a marriage bond (which would mean
>> > that it couldn't be the marriage bond)?  Or would the past
>> > action under consideration be the desertion of the unbeliever
>> > thus the completed action is a result of the desertion?  Are
>> > there other examples of OU with the perfect tense to compare?
>> > I'm open for suggestions!
>
>> I thought this same question was asked just a few weeks ago, with a
>> good reply from Carl Conrad.
>
>I didn't realize that it went out to b-greek.  However, my question
>is if OU with the perfect makes it not only "not under bondage" but
>also follows the force of the perfect tense also to make it something
>like "and never has been under bondage"?  Is that a valid conclusion,
>or is it too much?  Thanks for any input!

No, it does not say that (that would be something like OUDE DEDOULWTAI
OUPOTE); what it says is "the non-believer is not in a state of bonded
obligation." or "the non-believer does not stand obligated." The perfect
tense form is not concerned at all with past action (that would get
expressed with an aorist: EDOULWQH) but with the state currently holding.
-- 

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
Most months: 1647 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu OR cwconrad at ioa.com
WWW: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~cwconrad/



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