[B-Greek] Present Imperative
Mark Spitsbergen
awakesd at mac.com
Tue Dec 22 23:14:26 EST 2009
> I could use some help on the present imperative. First year Greek
> taught us that thee present imperative denotes continual action and
> thus something that is continuously happening. Therefore, the
> present imperative in Ephesians 5:18 for example PLHROUSQE, would
> mean to "be continually filled." I started sorting through the 1013
> occurrences in the New Testament of the present imperative verbs and
> in some cases it is is not very clear if a continual action would
> make sense. In some cases like Matthew 6:1 and 6:9 the idea of
> "continually pay attention" or "continually pray" does makes sense.
> Yet, in other instances such as Matthew 3:2 it is a little harder to
> make the continual process of the present imperative fit-
> "continually repent." Are there instances then that one should not
> regard the present imperative as an on-going action with no
> assessment of completion? Or am I simply over extending the meaning
> of the present imperative? K.S. Wuest says of Ephesians 5:18- The
> verb is in the present imperative; “Be constantly being filled with
> the Spirit.” (Wuest's word studies from the Greek New Testament).
Thanks and Merry Christmas,
MArk Spitsbergen
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