Subjunctive present durative?

From: DBWILLIS@aol.com
Date: Mon Aug 07 1995 - 19:31:03 EDT


David Willis here,

I have read in A.T. Robertson's Historical Grammar of the NT that while the
present indicative is ambiguous as to its state of completed action (it may
be either punctiliar or durative), this "defect" (as he puts it) is not also
found in the subjunctive and optative moods. The present subjunctive is
always durative.

Question 1:

Is this true? Do other "authorities" differ on this point?

The relevance is found in passages such as I Jn. 1:6-7. Is "if we walk in
the light" durative? Surely it is, I would think. But more to my point, are
"we have fellowship" and "the blood of Christ cleanses" (which are
indicatives) also to be thought of as unambiguously durative?

So, question 2:

In a subjunctive clause with the present, are BOTH the protasis (the "if"
clause) and the apotasis (the "then clause") to be considered always
unambiguously durative, or does that apply only to the protasis?

Please, (at least for now) I would prefer not to enter into theological or
doctrinal arguments about cleansing...but rather what (if anything) can be
said authoritatively from a purely Greek grammatical argument. Once we can
form a conclusion from the grammar, we can allow that to direct us
doctrinally.

To be sure that I receive your response could you please forward a copy to
both the list and to me personally at DBWILLIS@aol.com Thanks much.

David Willis
DBWILLIS@aol.com
6728 Silver Tree Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46236
(317) 823-4858



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Apr 20 2002 - 15:37:25 EDT