[B-Greek] Help with 'Imperfect' Particple required (Mt 2:7)

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at ioa.com
Fri Jan 20 19:28:41 EST 2006


On Jan 20, 2006, at 4:52 PM, Martin Wells wrote:

> Dear B-Greek,
>
> I'm in need of some clarification re the tense of the present middle
> participle "fainomenou" as used in Mt 2:7.
>
> I know that participles do not exist in imperfect form and the  
> present is
> used to convey imperfect past time - with context (tense of main verb)
> providing the indication of time - but this word has been classed as
> corresponding to 'perfect' (Max and Mary) AND 'imperfect' (by  
> Gustav Teres
> who argues for the Star being visible on a nightly basis ever since  
> its
> rising).
>
> Is this tense plain old simple 'present' or perfect or imperfect?
>
> As the main verb - "akribws" - is aorist active indicative singular  
> it would
> be in contrast to the imperfect (on going action as it unfolds). So  
> if I
> conclude that "fainomenou" cannot be imperfect in form in this  
> instance,
> would I be right?

Text (in standard BG transliteration): TOTE hHRWiDHS LAQRAi KALESAS  
TOUS MAGOUS HKRIBWSEN PAR' AUTWN TON CRONON TOU FAINOMENOU ASTEROS.

The participle is, as you say, present "tense", although some would  
prefer to speak of it as having IMPERFECT "aspect." In this case the  
tense-form of the participle has nothing to do whatsoever with the  
verb HKRIBWSEN (AKRIBOW). One could just as well translate the verse,  
"ascertained precisely from the Magi the time of the star's  
appearance (time of the star appearing)." Now we can say that CRONON  
TOU FAINOMENOU ASTEROS is equivalent to CRONON EF' hWi EFAINETO ASTHR  
or even CRONON hOTE EFAINETO ASTHR. That is to say, the imperfect  
indicative would here be appropriate in a clause equivalent to the  
participial phrase.

Carl W. Conrad
Department of Classics, Washington University (Emeritus)
1989 Grindstaff Road/Burnsville, NC 28714/(828) 675-4243
cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/




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