[B-Greek] present tense FEROMENHN
Carl W. Conrad
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Sun Oct 31 04:01:13 EST 2004
At 10:20 PM -0600 10/30/04, lance w seevers wrote:
>I have a question about the use of the present tense in I Peter 1:13
>which reads in part
>TELEIWS ELPISATE EPI THN FEROMENHN UMIN CAPIN EN APOKALUPSEI IHSOU
>CPISTOU
>
>One author I read suggests that the present tense(FEROMENHN) should be
>interpreted as a future tense. Another source says that the present
>tense should be understood as an aorist.
>Any comments in support of either view, or any other(!), would be
>appreciated.
The participle is indeed present "tense" but (a) the consummation of the
grace that is "coming your way" or "headed your way" is in the future--at
the revelation of Jesus Christ," and (b) the grace has already been
"launched." That is to say, I think that this verse expresses the
not-uncommon eschatological perspective on salvation in the NT of "already
but not yet"--the decisive event has already occurred, but its ultimate
consummation lies still in the future.
The voice of FEROMENHN here is middle-passive; one might read carefully
through the definition of FERW in BDAG sense 3 " to cause to follow a
certain course in direction or conduct, move out of position, drive, the
pass. can be variously rendered: be moved, be driven, let oneself be
moved." I take this to mean that in some instances it would be better to
understand the MP form as middle, in others as passive.
An analogue to THN FEROMENHN hUMIN CARIN might be the light coming from an
astral body light-years away from the observer: the light is "moving" or
"coming" (FERETAI) and hasn't yet reached the observer, but it has already
been "launched" many ages ago. By analogy, the "grace" referred to in the
text under consideration HAS BEEN GIVEN ages ago, but its full force will
not REACH the believer until the revelation of Jesus Christ.
--
Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/
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