[B-Greek] 1 Cor 7:15a - The Conditional Statement

Bill Barton phos at windstream.net
Tue Mar 18 22:33:17 EDT 2008


On Tuesday, March 18, 2008 3:16 PM, Howard B. Justice wrote:
> My question deals with the tense/mood (i.e., present indicative) of
> 1 Cor 7:15a:
>
>   "If the unbeliever departs, (then) let him depart."
>
> Would it be correct to understand this passage to say:
>
>   "If the unbeliever is departing, (then) let him be departing."?
>
> What I am asking is this. Is this use of the present indicative to be
> viewed here as the progressive present? Does this statement, being
> a first class conditional, somehow interfere with the understanding
> of how the progressive present is normally and predominantly view-
> ed?
>
> Your comments will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Wallace (Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics, p. 514) notes the following about 
the present tense:

   The present tense's portrayal of an event "focuses on its development
   or progress and sees the occurrence in regard to its internal make-up,
   without beginning or end in view."  It is sometime called progressive:
   It "basically represents an activity as in process (or in progress)."

The Expositor's Greek Testament (p. 826) apparently views the "leaving" in 1 
Cor 7:15 as a progression (rather than punctual).  It composes the situation 
as follows:

   The Christian wife or husband is not to seek divorce from
   the non-Christian (12-14); but if the latter insists on separation,
   it is not to be refused.


Regards,

Bill Barton


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