From: Edgar Foster (questioning1@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Feb 01 1999 - 16:22:31 EST
---"Carl W. Conrad" wrote:
>At 8:11 AM -0800 2/1/99, Edgar Foster wrote:
>Dear B-Greekers,
> >In his intriguing discussion of the present participle, Buist
Fanning writes that "some present participles denote occurrences
antecedent or subsequent to the main verb, while others describe
occurrences so
general that one cannot limit them to any single time-frame" (408).< <
> >A few pages later, he adds: "there are also generic uses in which
the present [participle] is multiple in a distributive sense: an
individual is envisaged as engaging in the occurrence only once"
(411).< <
> >Based on this information, my question is: Is it possible that the
present participle ERCOMENON in 2 John 7 can be categorized as
described above? Is it pointing to a time antecendent to the main
verb? Is it describing a one time occurrence?< <
> >ERCOMENON EN SARKI
>This is a fascinating question. Let's simply ignore any theological
ramifications (if we can, and let's try hard!) and consider the
question of how ERCOMENON in 2 Jn 7 may be understood. Without being
able to examine
Fanning's argument (the book is out of print, not in our library here,
and notoriously difficult to come by) I do feel at a loss to know
exactly what texts he's basing his argument on.< <
At the outset, let me just say that the 2 John 7 example is a question
that I have concerning present participles. Fanning does cite this
verse as an example of "the customary sense for the present
participle," but he concentrates on hOTI POLLOI PLANOI EXHLQON EIS TON
KOSMON, hOI MH hOMOLOGOUNTES IHSOUN CRISTON. He offers no comment on,
nor any treatment of ERCOMENON.
To quote Fanning in full on this point: "It will be noted that this
generic sense [of the present part.] includes instances in which the
indefinite individual is seen as engaged in the occurrence repeatedly
or habitually (somewhat like the first type of customary except for
the indefinite feature), but there are also generic uses in which the
present is multiple in a distributive sense: an individual is
envisaged as enaging in an occurrence only once" (411).
Also:
"The simultaneous temporal meaning for the present participle is very
consistent, and this is the value grammars tend to emphasize. However,
most of the grammars also note that some instances do occur which
violate the pattern of simultaneous occurrence: some present
participles denote occurrences antecedent or subsequent to the main
verb, while others describe occurrences so general that one cannot
limit them to any single time-frame" (408).
To back up his statements, Fanning cites the following examples.
Simultaneous with the main verb: Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:16, 40; Luke 2:20;
23:10; 23:26; john 6:6; Acts 10:10, 44, 23:18: Heb. 11:21.
Generic sense (inderfinite customary occurrence, individual could be
viewed as performing action once):
John 5:24; Acts 4:34; Gal. 6:6; Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:8; 1 Tim. 6:15;
Heb. 7:8; 1 John 2:23; Rev. 14:13.
I hope these examples help. Thanks answering this question.
==
Edgar Foster
Classics Major
Lenoir-Rhyne College
http://www.egroups.com/list/greektheology/
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