From: Presept (presept@earthlink.net)
Date: Wed Aug 26 1998 - 00:00:37 EDT
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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Dear Mr. Stafford,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> I stand corrected on the
distinction between a Perfective Present and a Present of Past Action still in
Progress. You are right. My mistake. I had in mind the Present
of Past Action still in Progress when I wrote my comments.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2> I don't think the picture I
tried to describe came across very well. Jesus didn't say "Since
Abraham came into existence, I have been." He said "Before Abraham
came into existence..." <FONT color=#000000 size=2>Notice that in PPAs a
beginning is stated or implied. Jn 8:58 does not have this.
</FONT>What we have in Jn 8:58 is a case of Antecedent time. R.A. Young states
in his grammar on page 166, "Antecedent time means that the action of the
main verb takes place before the action expressed by the infinitive. To
convey this idea, "before" is used at the beginning of the adverbial
clause." </FONT><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Notice also in this
context that EGW EIMI is used two other times in verses 24 and 28 with the
meaning I Am. In all three uses of EGW EIMI in this context, A.T.Robertson
calls an absolute use of EIMI. This same idiom is used in Psalm 90:2:
"PRO TOU ORH GENHQHNAI...SU EI." This would not be translated as
'You have been.' Also, in Jn 8:58 and Psalm 90:2, there is a contrast
between EIMI and GINOMAI. Please see Ron Henzel's post 8-14-96 entitled
'Jn 8:58 and the subordinating adverbial particle.'</FONT></DIV>
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size=2>
-James Stewart </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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