[B-Greek] PEPOIHKEN in Heb. 11:28
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Mon Jun 4 17:20:26 EDT 2007
----- Original Message -----
> PISTEI PEPOIHKEN [MWUSHS] TO PASCA KAI THN PROSCUSIN TOU hAIMATOS (Heb.
> 11:28).
>
> Zerwick-Grosvenor says that PEPOIHKEN, as perfect, refers to "inauguration
> of a rite still observed". This seems reasonable to me, but I also find
> perfect forms tossed in as though they were aorists occasionally in the GNT.
> Is Zerwick-Grosvenor over-interpreting the perfect here?
>
> Webb Mealy
In my opinion, the description of the perfect as an act with enduring results is somewhat
misleading. I prefer to think of the perfect as a marked "perfective" in general linguistic terms
compared to the unmarked aorist. So I agree that the "still observed" is an over-interpretation.
Moses is the one who "has made/created/instituted" the Passover. There was no Passover celebration
before Moses obeyed God by asking the Israelites to slaughter sheep and smear the blood on the
doorposts. Exo 12,21 is the first time the word (and event) occurs, and Moses was the one
introducing it. It took faith to do that, because it was basically "irrational", and this act of
faith is the point made in Hebrews 11:28.
I think the perfect is essentially like the aorist, but with a greater emphasis on the completedness
of the action.
Iver Larsen
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