[B-Greek] Heb 6,4-6

Barry H. nebarry at verizon.net
Sat Sep 18 20:37:34 EDT 2010


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Lightman" <lightmanmark at yahoo.com>
To: <ps2866 at bingo-ev.de>; <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 18, 2010 5:15 PM
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Heb 6,4-6


> Peter asked
>
> <I wonder how the switch from the aorist (FWTISQENTAS k.t.l.) to the
> present tense (ANAKAINIZEIN, ANASTAUROUNTAS, PARADEIGMATIZONTAS) in Heb
> 6,4-6 can be explained.>
>
> Hi, Peter,
>
> Well, I think this is one case where the former participle is meant to 
> imply a
> prior, one time action, and the later forms are meant to imply  repeated,
> on-going actions.  In other words, where the Greek tenses work  they way 
> they
> tell you they work.

I think that we are to understand ἔστι with ἀδύνατον.  This would make the 
action of the aorist participles prior to the time frame expressed by the 
implicit main verb, and the present infinitive and participles concurrent 
with that time frame.  So, I am not sure that "repeated, on-going actions" 
is the nuance intended.

N.E. Barry Hofstetter, semper melius Latine sonat...
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
(2010 Savatori Excellence in Education Winner)
V-P of Academic Affairs, TNARS
bhofstetter at tnars.net
http://www.tnars.net

http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry





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