THE PRESENT INDICATIVE IN

            NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                     by

 

                                           John A. Battle, Jr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements

                          for the degree of Doctor of Theology in

                                    Grace Theological Seminary

                                                  May, 1975

 

 

 

  Please report any errors to Ted Hildebrand at:  ted.hildebrandt@gordon.edu

 

 

 

 

 

       Accepted by the Faculty of Grace Theological Seminary

       in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree

                                Doctor of Theology

 

                                        Grade A

 

                               Examining Committee

                                 James L. Boyer

                                    Homer A. Kent

                                    Charles R. Smith

 

 

 


                                       PREFACE

 

The study of the Greek New Testament is perhaps the most rewarding

and exhilarating task possible. But this study requires exegetical tools.

The syntax of Greek verb tenses stands at the center of accurate exegesis,

and this grammatical tool must be formed and sharpened by inductive study

of New Testament usage.

            It has been this writer's happy task to seek to define more

closely the value of the Greek present indicative verb. He wishes to

thank all those who have assisted in this effort. First of all, thanks

are due to Dr. James L. Boyer, the chairman of the examining committee,

and to its other members, Dr. homer A. Kent, Jr., and Dr. Charles R. Smith,

for their patient and expert advice at several important points. Also,

thanks are due to Dr. John C. Whitcomb, Jr., who directs the Postgraduate

Division of Grace Theological Seminary, for his help and encouragement

throughout the entire program. In addition, this author wishes to express

his gratitude toward several of his colleagues in the faculty of Faith

Theological Seminary who have assisted with their advice, help, and per-

sonal libraries: Dr. A. Franklin Faucette, Dr. Stephen M. Reynolds, Dr.

Sang Chan Lee, and Dr. Richard C. Curry. But the one person who has

helped the most deserves special thanks, the author's wife, Tammie. In

addition to spending many, many hours in difficult work, she has always

been an inspiration and encouragement during this paper's preparation.

Of course, our chief gratitude must be directed to the One who inspired

the New Testament, and of whom it speaks.

                                                        iv


            It is this author's hope that this study of the present indicative

will shed more light on the New Testament. Julius R. Mantey has advised,

"I trust in your dissertation you will cite several examples in the New

Testament where the present tense functions remarkably well in exegesis,

so much so that its readers would be deprived of much insight if it were

not used" (personal letter, September 13, 1974). Indeed, if the reader

will more thoroughly appreciate the meaning of the New Testament, this

paper's purpose will be fulfilled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                             v


                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                                                                                    Page

PREFACE                                                                                                                  iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                                                           vi

LIST OF TABLES                                                                                                      ix

                               PART I. INTRODUCTION

Chapter

      I. THE PLACE OF TENSE IN GREEK            

            The Importance of Tense in Exegesis                                                         1

            Common Misunderstanding of Tense                                                         4

            Modern Translation Approach of Eugene A. Nida                                     7

            Complexity of the Present Indicative                                                          16

            Aktionsart and Aspect                                                                                   18

     II. THE PLAN OF ATTACK                                                                                24

            An Inductive Approach                                                                                  24

            Method of Procedure                                                                                   26

            Summary of the Study's Results                                                                  28

     III. THE FREQUENCY OF THE PRESENT INDICATIVE                   30

            Total Occurrences                                                                                         30

            Present Indicative Frequency                                                                       35

            Doubtful Cases                                                                                              41

            Morphological Note on Movable Nu                                                          42

 

              PART II. PRESENT INDICATIVE EXEGESIS

     I. THE USAGE CATEGORIES                                                                45

            Traditional Usage Classifications                                                                45

            Proposed Classifications                                                                             49

     II. THE PRESENT INDICATIVE IN PRESENT TIME                         53

            Progressive Present                                                                                     53

            The Verb "To Be"                                                                                           56

                                                vi


Chapter                                                                                                                       Page

            The Question of Aoristic Presents                                                             58

            Declarative Present                                                                                       61

            Customary Present                                                                                        63

            Abstract Present                                                                                            68

            Perfective Present                                                                                        75

            The Present in Kingdom Passages                                                   81

            Conclusion for Presents in Present Time                                                   84

     III. THE PRESENT INDICATIVE IN PAST TIME                                85

            Historical Present Frequency                                                                      85

            Synoptic Comparison                                                                                   90

            The Zero Tense Controversy                                                                        107

            Relevant New Testament Data                                                                     117

            Exegesis of the Historical Present                                                             130

            Otter Past Time Usages                                                                                135

            Conclusion                                                                                                     137

     IV. THE PRESENT INDICATIVE IN FUTURE TIME                         138

            Futuristic Present Frequency                                                                       138

            Futuristic Present Vocabulary                                                                     142

            Futuristic Present Aspect                                                                             149

            Futuristic Present Exegesis                                                                         151

            Present for Immediate Future                                                                      154

            Conclusion                                                                                                     157

     V. THE PRESENT INDICATIVE IN RELATIVE TIME                                   159

            Relative Present                                                                                            159

            Indirect Present                                                                                             160

     VI. THE PRESENT INDICATIVE IN CONDITIONAL SENTENCES             163

            Present of the Protasis                                                                                 163

            Other Uses with Ei]                                                                                       172

            Present of the Apodosis                                                                               173

            Conclusion                                                                                                     179

                             PART III. CONCLUSION

            The Problem of the Present Indicative                                                        181

            Suggested Solution                                                                                       183

            The Limits of Syntax                                                                                     184

APPENDIX A. PRESENT INDICATIVE VERB CLASSIFICATION       186

                                                  vii


                                                                                                                                    Page

APPENDIX B. TIE MOVABLE NU IN MATTHEW                                             245

APPENDIX C. HISTORICAL PRESENT CONTEXT                                            246

APPENDIX D. PRESENT OF THE PROTASIS                                         252

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                                                                      256

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 viii

 


                                     LIST OF TABLES

Table                                                                                                                           Page

   1. Present Indicatives per Chapter                                                                        30

   2. Present Indicatives per Book                                                                            34

   3. Present Indicatives per 100 Words                                                                  35

   4. Present Indicatives per 100 Verb Forms                                                         39

   5. Present Indicative Preference by Book                                                           40

   6. Present Indicative Preference by Author                                                         40

   7. Progressive Present Frequency                                                                        55

   8. Declarative Presents                                                                                          61

   9. Customary Presents                                                                                           67

   10. Abstract Presents                                                                                             74

   11. Perfective Present                                                                                           81

   12. Historical Present Frequency                                                                         86

   13. Synoptic Historical Presents                                                                         93

   14. Synoptic Historical Present Figures                                                 104

   15. Historical Present Vocabulary                                                                       119

   16. Historical Present Verb Types                                                                       122

   16A. Verb Type Percentages                                                                                 123

   17. Historical Present Contexts                                                                           126

   18. Historical Present Connections                                                                     127

   19. Futuristic Present Frequency                                                                         138

   20. Futuristic Present Vocabulary                                                                        142

   21. Present for Relative Time                                                                               161

 

                                                     ix

 


Table                                                                                                                           Page

   22. Protasis Present Frequency                                                                            165

   23. Apodosis Present Frequency                                                             176

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

                                                   4

 


 

 

                           PART I. INTRODUCTION

 

                  I. THE PLACE OF TENSE IN GREEK

 

            The verb is the center of the sentence. Verbs turn mere phrases

into clauses. They supply the heart, the force of the sentence. Accu-

rate exegesis must begin with the verb.

            The two primary features of verb syntax are mood and tense. This

paper will deal exclusively with the indicative mood. Within that mood

Biblical Greek has at least six tenses: present, imperfect, future,

aorist, perfect, and pluperfect.1  Each of these tenses carries with it

an exegetical background and flavor, implications and associations which

belong to that tense alone.2 The exact force of these tenses is still

highly debated. One of them, the present tense, especially has become

the object of recent inquiry and discussion. This paper shall concen-

trate on that single tense, the present indicative.

 

                        The Importance of Tense in Exegesis

            The Bible student has a special interest in Greek exegesis. The

New Testament in Greek is God's last direct revelation to His people,

inspired and inerrant. Each word reflects the meaning that God intended.

 

            1 For the few possible NT examples of the non-periphrastic future

perfect, see A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the

Light of Historical Research (hereinafter referred to as Grammar; Nashville:

Broadman Press, 1934), pp. 906-07.

            2 Ibid., p. 822: "In the beginning the verb-root was used with

personal suffixes. At first this was enough. Some verbs developed some

tenses, others other tenses, some few all the tenses."


                                                                                                                                    2

Whatever meaning can be extracted from a passage's syntax will be true,

useful, and profitable (2 Tim. 3:16).

            The exegesis of the tenses stands at the center of such study.

   No element of the Greek language is of more importance to the student

   of the New Testament than the matter of tense. . . . Though it is an

   intricate nd difficult subject, no phase of Greek grammar offers a

   fuller reward. The benefits are to be reaped only when one has invested

   sufficient time and diligence to obtain an insight into the idiomatic

   use of tense in the Greek language and an appreciation of the finer

   distinctions in force.1

This attitude springs from the conviction that the various authors selected

their tenses purposefully.

   It is certainly unsafe, however, to proceed upon any supposition other

   than that he New Testament writer used the tense which would convey

   just the idea he wished to express. This is the rule, and all seeming

   exceptions are to be regarded with doubt.2

While ample provision must be allowed for individual variations of style,

as this paper will demonstrate, it should be assumed that each author em-

ployed tenses in accordance with general usage and propriety.

            Further, traditional grammarians have assumed that each tense had

its own distinct usage and force, and that one could not be switched with

another without changing the flavor or even the meaning of the passage.

One hundred years ago Alexander Buttmann defended the distinct meaning of

each tense:

   In the use of the Tenses the N.T. writers are by no means deficient

   in the requisite skill. Consequently the so-called Enallage Temporum

   or Interchange of Tenses, which was applied by some of the older inter-

   preters of Scripture often and indiscriminately, is to be opposed

 

            1 H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New

Testament (hereinafter referred to as Manual Grammar; New York: The Macmillan Company, 1927). p. 177.

            2 Ibid.


                                                                                                                                    3 

   on behalf of the N.T. language at the outset, and discarded on

   principle.1  

A. T. Robertson, with characteristic care and caution and historical aware-

ness, likewise emphasizes the unique aura of each tense: