[B-Greek] Perfects in Rev. 3:8
Clwinbery at aol.com
Clwinbery at aol.com
Wed Dec 22 16:31:01 EST 2004
In a message dated 12/20/04 6:17:20 PM, bertdehaan at sympatico.ca writes:
> My understanding of the perfect tense is that it describes a state rather
> than an action.
> I am curious how this affects the meaning of a phrase in Revelation 3:8.
> IDOU DEDWKA ENWPION SOU QURAN HNEWiGMENHN,
> Concerning the first perfect, DEDWKA, is it important that it has been
> given, or just that it is available now?
> Concerning the second perfect, HNEWiGMENHN, my question is; Does this
> participle say anything about the fact that this door was opened, or just that it
> is standing open, just happened to stand open?
> I hope I made my question clear.
> Thank you.
> Bert de Haan.
>
Bert, the perfect (including the pluperfect) can focus attention on two
emphases. There is the assumed completed action that issues into an existing
result. I think we have both in these two instances of the perfect tense, the
indicative and the participle. The perfect passive participle lends itself to an
emphasis on the existing result - the open door. It emphasizes here where the
Philadelphia is and its opportunity. The indicative DEDWKA emphasizes the fack
that God has given the opportunity. It still has the existing result which exist
because of God's completed action.
Carlton Winbery
Louisiana College
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