[B-Greek] Romans 5

A. J. Birch AJBIRCH at terra.es
Thu Jun 16 09:34:02 EDT 2005


Eric Weiss wrote, with regard to ONTWN, in Romans 5 (vv. 6 and 8 - cf. ONTES, v. 10):

"Is it possible to translate it with a more present meaning...?"

(1) In terms of the Greek, with the main verb (in each case) being in the aorist, it would seem logical, following the sequence of tenses, to read the state(s) described by ONTWN and ONTES as also being in the past.

(2) In terms of English grammar, the same rules (governing sequence of tense) also apply, even though we are often not too strict about this in practice. For example, to say, "I was glad to hear that you ARE well", strictly speaking, should be, "I was glad to hear that you WERE well", even if the person concerned was, and still is, well!

(3) In terms of theology (not the concern of this list), surely the point is that Christ died for the weak, for sinners, for enemies, etc., irrespective of whether they lived in the first Century, or before then, or after then - both the need of the Cross and the benefits of the Cross are 'time-less'.

Andrew J. Birch
Palma de Mallorca, Spain


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