[B-Greek] NT Greek Urban Legends

David E. Kiefer, Registrar dkiefer at fuller.edu
Fri Dec 11 15:02:41 EST 2009


In a book published within the last ten years, I found this regarding 
Matthew 28:19:

". . . it is a second person plural, aorist, imperative, active form of 
MAQHTEUW. This is the main verb, and it supplies the imperative in the 
sentence. Since this is an aorist imperative, however, it means that it 
was a command given in the past. (This may be related to the fact that 
the text is presented as a quotation of what Jesus said at some time in 
the past.) This means that the primary sense of the sentence is in 
reference to an action already completed."

I have often heard or read mistreatments of the aorist participle that 
begins this verse, and was not surprised to find that in this chapter as 
well ("Those who are addressed in this passage are already going"), but 
this explanation of the meaning of an aorist imperative was a new one 
for me!



Jeffrey T. Requadt wrote:
> As a result of some conversations I've had with list members off-list, I was
> wondering if anyone knew of a list of what I call "New Testament Greek Urban
> Legends" or "Christian Greek Urban Legends." I'm trying to find as many
> examples of possible of preaching or teaching or writing that abuses the
> Greek text in order to make a point or a "really good" illustration.
> Examples include hAMARTIA meaning "missing the mark" with all the
> theological implications of that; the perfect tense meaning "once and for
> all"; the vast separation between PHILEW and AGAPAW, especially at the end
> of the Gospel of John, where Jesus uses AGAPAW and Peter uses PHILEW (oh
> no!); EKKLESIA meaning "the called out ones," so that's what the church is;
> these are just the ones I can think of right now. I've read Carson's
> "Exegetical Fallacies," but I want something that deals directly with Greek
> and the classic misinterpretations of Greek text and vocabulary. Feel free
> to email me off-list if you know of any such lists already prepared, and/or
> if you have your own favorite examples.
>
>  
>
> Jeffrey T. Requadt
>
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-- 
__________________________

David E. Kiefer, Registrar
Fuller Theological Seminary
135 N Oakland Ave
Pasadena, CA  91182
 
dkiefer at fuller.edu
Phone 626-584-5409
Fax   626-584-5564	




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