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Future Tense

The Future Tense Verb

The Kind of Action of the Future Tense:

Primarily punctiliar, though linear in some contexts. Often used with the Indicative to indicate future time.

The Predicative Future

This use denotes an event that is expected to take place in the future. This is the most common use of the tense.

The Progressive Future

This use conveys action as going on in the future. The emphasis is simply on the action in progress in the future. The writer thought of it as continuing, not that it was going to be continued.

The
Imperatival Future

This use is practically an imperative in sense, for it involves the will, either of the speaker or of the subject. Since the imperative naturally relates to the future, it is not an unnatural usage.

The Deliberative Future

This use denotes the future by expressing a rhetorical question, i.e. one which does not really expect an answer. These questions require deliberation concerning the possibility, or the desirability, or the necessity of a proposed course of activity. It occurs frequently in quotations from the Septuagint.

The Gnomic Future

This use refers to a general or timeless truth, which is valid for all times. This action is to be expected under certain circumstances. It is used infrequently in the New Testament.

The Periphrastic Future

This use emphasizes the continuance of an action. It is used to express an action which one intends to do, or of that which is certain or destined to take place. It is similar to the “Progressive Future,” with the thought of continuance or customariness emphasized. It is formed by the future tense of εἰμί with the […]

Future TenseLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:21:15-08:00

Perfect Tense

The Perfect Tense

The Kind of Action of the Perfect Tense:

Durative and Punctiliar. Completed action with abiding results.

The Dramatic Perfect

An action completed in the past is conceived in terms of the present time for the sake of vividness. This was a use suited for the orator or the dramatist, and was often used in rhetorical questions. John uses it more than any other New Testament writer. It would be similar to ours, “The first thing you know he has done it.” (It is sometimes referred to as the “Present Perfect.”).

The Intensive Perfect

This use is a strong way of saying that a thing is, denoting an action rather than a state resulting from an action, having the force of an emphatic present. Stress is placed on the existing fact. This is done more forcibly than either the Greek or English present could ever do. This use is primarily used with verbs of senses.

The Extensive Perfect

This use denotes a completed act that has abiding results. It emphasizes that the action took place and still has abiding results. The finished process with its results is expressed, not the existing state. (CF. The Intensive Perfect). This is the most frequent use of the perfect.

The Gnomic Perfect

This use denotes an action that was generally true. It is rare in the New Testament.

The Iterative Perfect

This use denotes repeated action. Completed action is stressed, but something in the context or in the meaning of the word (or both) indicate(s) that the idea of the action was iterative. It is relatively rare in the New Testament.

The Periphrastic Perfect

This use emphasizes an existing state. It is made up of the perfect […]

Perfect TenseLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:21:28-08:00

Aorist Tense

The Aorist Tense Verb

The Kind of Action of the Aorist Tense:

The Aorist tense expresses punctiliar action. It states the deed is occurring without indicating continued action. The time element is basically non-existence within the tense, except for in the Indicative mode, and therefore relies upon the context.

The Constative Aorist

The action is seen as a single whole, without any emphasis on its progress. It may last but a moment, or it may last for a long time. It may have been one act, or it may have been a series of acts. The action is gathered together and presented as a point. The writer sees the whole action in a glance. This use occurs frequently in the New Testament.

The Ingressive Aorist

The action is denoted as having occurred, but the emphasis is placed on the beginning of the action, emphasizing the entrance into a state or a condition.

The Culminative Aorist

(Also may be known as the Consummative Aorist or the Effective Aorist)

This use conveys the results of an event, viewing it in its entirety. The event has occurred, but the emphasis is placed on the end of the action or on the state resulting from the action. It is often used with verbs which signify effort or process.

The Aorist of Historical Narrative

This use denotes past events in narration. It answers the question “what happened next?” This is the normal tense for narratives, unless there was a reason to use some other tense. It occurs frequently in the Gospels and Acts.

The Gnomic Aorist

This use denotes a generally accepted fact or truth which is so fixed in its certainty or axiomatic character that it is […]

Aorist TenseLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:20:51-08:00

Present Tense

The Present Tense Verb

The Kind of Action of the Present Tense:

The present tense primarily expresses linear action; however, depending on context can focus on a point in time. With the Greek verb the time is secondary to the type of action; therefore, the present tense is not restricted to only expressing action going on in the present time. The time element is expressed by the mode more than the tense; however, the progressive force of the present tense needs to be considered regardless of what mode it is used with, especially the Subjunctive and Optative modes.

The Aoristic Present

Denotes point-in-time action in the present time; taking place at the moment of speaking or writing without reference to its progress.

And Peter said to him, “Aenea, Jesus the Christ heals you, stand up furnish for yourself and he immediately rose. Acts 9:34

The Gnomic Present

Represents that which is assumed to be true at all times; simply affirming that something does happen under given circumstances.

The Historical Present

Portrays a past action as though it were going on at the moment it was written. It expresses vividness in dramatic narration where the writer can still picture the events in his mind as though they were still happening and he is still involved in them.

The next day John seeing Jesus coming towards him and said, “Look with discernment, the Lamb of God, the One taking away the sin of the world. John 1:29

The Futuristic Present

Pictures a future event, which is so certain to the writer that he writes of it as though it was already taking place.

The Descriptive Present

Represents an […]

Present TenseLuther Walker2023-12-11T12:19:13-08:00