[B-Greek] 1 John 3:6

Jonathan Robie jwrobie at mindspring.com
Mon Feb 4 08:44:18 EST 2008


Timothy Mitchell wrote:
>  
> Bob,
>  
> I also have questioned the "continual action" or "habitual action" aspect of the present tense usually described as in force here in 1 John 3:6. 

I think the present tense in English also conveys "continual action" or 
"habitual action", at least sometimes, but context makes all the 
difference in the world.

"Jonathan walks to school" (habitual)
"Jonathan walks to school on Tuesdays" (habitual)
"Despite the cold, Jonathan walks through the pouring rain" (not 
habitual, but continual)

But how about this:

"So last week, a horse walks into a bar, and the bartender says, 'why 
the long face?'"  That's neither habitual nor continual, it expresses 
immediacy for a past event.

Now suppose I have a sentence where the intended meaning of "walks" is 
not clear. I think it would be dangerous to read too much meaning into 
the use of the present tense.
 And I think 1 John 3:6 is one of those passages where the grammar alone 
just isn't going to answer your question, you're going to have to dig 
into the context and build your own understanding of the book.

Jonathan



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