[B-Greek] middle and aorist participles

Clwinbery at aol.com Clwinbery at aol.com
Sat Apr 12 12:17:48 EDT 2003


In a message dated 4/12/03 9:31:32 AM, tbwright at myrealbox.com writes:

>I am a first year NT Greek student and have the following question.   
>For 
>1st and 2nd aorist middle and passive participles the aorist 
>middle/passive stem(from the standard lexical listing) is used to form
>the 
>participle.     Is the Perfect middle/passive stem used to form the 
>Perfect middle/passive participle?   The Mounce book is contradictory.
>
>
>Tim Wright

Tim, I'm not sure what exactly you are asking and I do not have a copy of 
Mounce at home to consult, but here's my reply.

I like to use words in context so I will use Matthew 10:1 to start. 
KAI PROSKALESAMENOS TOUS DWDEKA MAQHTAS AUTOU EDWKEN AUTOIS EXOUSIAN

Note that the stem of the third principle part of the aor. mid. ptc. it 
PROSKALESA to which the middle participle ending is added,MENOS. The 
translation would be "and having called the twelve disciples to himself, he 
gave to them authority." 

The aorist passive participle would look like the one in Matt 2:1 
TOU DE IHSOU GENNHQENTOS EN BHQLEEM.
Note that the basic stem of the sixth principle part is GENNHQE/H to which 
the ptc. ending NTOS is added. The translation to this is "When Jesus was 
born in Bethlehem,"
Some of these so-called passives are translated as middles (See any of Carl 
Conrad's discussion ot the aor. pass.). If PROSKALEW (above) has a ptc. in 
the sixth p.p., it would be PROSKALE(S)QEIS/QENTOS.
 
The perfect middle/passive ptc. would be formed using the 5th p.p. 
Mt. 5:10 MAKARIOI OI DEDIWGMENOI hENEKEN DIKAIOSUNHS, 

Note that the stem of DIWKW for the 5th p.p. is DEDIWK to which the ptc. 
ending MENOI is added without a thematic vowel. This causes the K to asperate 
to the middle form of the palatals G. This would also be the form for the 
middle voice. Translate the above as "Blessed are those who are being 
persecuted because of righteousness." 

A perfect middle ptc. can be seen at Mark 1:6. KAI HN hO IWANNHS ENDEDUMENOS 
TRICAS KAMHLOU

Note that the stem of the 5th p.p. is ENDEDU plus the ptc. ending MENOS with 
no thematic vowel. It would be translated "and John was clothed (lit. clothed 
himself) with camel hair.

Hope this helps.
Carlton Winbery
LA. College


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