Transitions: aorist-imperfect (Matth 25:5), present-aorist-present (Mark 14:41)

Jonathan Robie (74144.2360@compuserve.com)
08 Sep 96 13:27:31 EDT

Robertson suggests that examining the use of aorist together with other tenses
can help get a better feel for how the aorist is used. I started doing this, and
have found it helpful:

Aorist together with imperfect:

Matt 25:5 xronizontos de tou numfiou enustacan (aorist) pasai kai ekaqeudon
(imperfect). "they nodded off (ingressive aorist) and then went on sleeping
(imperfect, linear action)". Robertson's Word Pictures comments on this verse,
saying "a vivid picture drawn by the difference in the two tenses. Many a
preacher has seen this happen while he is preaching".

Present-Aorist-Present:

Mark 14:41 kai erxetai to triton kai legei autois, kaqeudete to loipon kai
anapauesqe; apexei: hlqen h wra, idou paradidotai o uios tou anqrwpou eis tas
xeiras twn amartwlwn. "And he comes the third time and says to them, sleep on
indefinitely! Rest! The hour is come (aorist)! Behold, the Son of Man is
delivered into the hands of sinners!"

In this passage, I believe every verb is present except for HLQEN in the phrase
"the hour is come", which is aorist.

Jonathan