Why the aorist in Luke 2.11? (was RE: [B-Greek] "Christ is born" in Greek)

Perry L. Stepp plstepp at kcu.edu
Thu Dec 23 12:15:45 EST 2004


As to how to say "Christ is born":

If Luke 2.11 (cf. the same verb in Mt 1.21) is the pattern, it would be
"XRISTOS ETEXQH" (B&W's "dramatic aorist"?)

Which raises the question: why the aorist (instead of present, or even
perfect, etc.) in Luke 2.11?

Perry L. Stepp, Ph.D.
 
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies
Kentucky Christian University
 
"The past is never dead. It's not even past." 
                                                            --Faulkner 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:b-greek-bounces at lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Philip Silouan
Thompson
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2004 11:52 AM
To: b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: RE: [B-Greek] "Christ is born" in Greek

Eric Weiss wrote:
> At Easter, the Greek Orthodox greeting is CRISTOS ANESTH
> ("Christ is risen!"), with the response ALHQWS ANESTH
> ("Indeed, He is risen.").
> What would be a comparable Christmas greeting of "Christ is born!"
> What is the actual Greek Orthodox Christmas Greeting? One Website
> says "Kala Christouyenna" which I assume is "Happy Christ's birth"


In church we say:
CRISTOS GENNATAI! = Christ is born! (HriSTOS yeNAteh)
(and the response is DOXASETE! = Give Him glory!)  (thokSAseteh)

Other than clergy or monastics, most Greeks say:
KALA CRISOUGENNA! = kaLA hrisTOUyenna
   or
CRONIA POLLA - Many years! (HROnya poLA) - appropriate for any feast

In Christ,

Silouan Thompson
Walla Walla, Washington











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