Re: historical present

Dale M. Wheeler (dalemw@teleport.com)
Wed, 03 Jun 1998 11:16:14 -0700

Wed, 03 Jun 1998 12:33:32 -0400 Jim West wrote:
>The verb 'estin' is found 814 times (according to my program- I have neither
>the desire nor the time to count them so I am going to have to trust this
>machine). Following are some selected texts which use the verb as a
>historical present:
>
>2 Pet 3:4

This is in a direct quote, not an historical narrative !

>2 Pet 3:16

Not meaning to be disrespectful, but "Huh?" Peter is just describing
Paul's writings which, for his perspective, are in existence.

>1 John 1:8

A second "Huh?"

>
>There are most certainly others.

I think, Jim, that you need to give us YOUR definition of the "historical
present", because it certainly doesn't match anything that I've ever
read, nor my understanding or observation of the use of the present
tense in past time historical narratives.

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Dale M. Wheeler, Ph.D.
Research Professor in Biblical Languages Multnomah Bible College
8435 NE Glisan Street Portland, OR 97220
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