A "Timeless" Aorist?


Fri Sep 13 15:17:33 EDT 2002


Dear Friends:

I'm new to this list but very thankful for its presence as I'm newly 
teaching second year Greek syntax and my students often stump me with 
their questions. I'm sure this will be a wonderful resource for both my 
students as well as me.

I do have a question regarding Mark's use of Isaiah in Mark 1:3. I'm 
wondering about the significance of the verb hETOIMASATE (1 Aorist 
Active Imperative, 2 Person Plural) and the following verb POIEITE 
(Present Active Imperative, 2 Person Plural). My question is why would 
the aorist tense be used initially followed up by a present tense verb? 
That both are imperatives is likely the most important consideration to 
note; but why an aorist tense followed by the present? I have not 
checked to see if the quote is taken from the Septuagint (which I 
presume it likely is) and whether that has something to contribute to 
the question (i.e. a type of Semiticism etc). I also realise that on 
occasion the aorist tense can denote a decisiveness (emphasis on the 
decisiveness of the action also leads to emphasis on the finality and 
timelessness of the action). Is the aorist here indicative of the action 
"Prepare" as more of a whole and as timeless?  Further, I also 
understand that in some cases the aorist can actually have some affinity 
with the perfect tense in emphasizing a completed action with continuing 
results (not that this has any relevance to the situation in Ancient 
Greek grammar, but apparently in Modern Greek the aorist can function as 
the perfect since this latter tense has been done away with). Therefore, 
might this aorist be considered timeless---a "Timeless Aorist" perhaps? 
Or should the perfect tense of POIEITE have followed the aorist tense of 
hETOIMASATE? I know these thoughts are affected considerably given any 
emphasis upon verbal aspect as opposed to tense and time, but are they 
still valid? May I thank you all ahead of time for any thoughts, ideas, 
or direction you might give regarding my question.

Warm Regards;
Kent

Kent D. Clarke (Ph.D Bristol)
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
Trinity Western University
7600 Glover Road
Langley, British Columbia
Canada
V2Y 1Y1
kentdclarke at hotmail.com

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