Imperfective Imperfects in Acts 8:17

From: clayton stirling bartholomew (c.s.bartholomew@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Mon Jan 19 1998 - 06:00:15 EST


In Acts 8:17 both finite verbs EPETIQESAN and ELAMBANON are imperfects.
(Please note the setting that is established for this verse by the two perfect
participles in 8:16). It appears that these verbs are functioning
Imperfectively (no, this is not a tautology). I was intrigued to discover that
the ASV (1901) translated these words perfectively, "Then laid they their
hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." where as the NASB
translated them Imperfectively "Then they began laying their hands on them,
and they were receiving the Holy Spirit".

Stanly Porter (Idioms, 2nd ed., pp. 28f) says that the Imperfective *aspect*
indicates only the subjective choice of the author about how to represent the
action. I have a problem with this. It seems to me that in this case the
Imperfect from is used to describe an objective situation where the action was
proceeding. There were not enough apostles to lay hands on all of them at one
time so using the Imperfect was Luke's way of depicting the objective situation.

I suppose that I am misunderstanding Porter, which is exceedingly easy to do.

Maybe Cindy or someone else can enlighten me on this.
    

-- 
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255  Seahurst WA 98062

Celebrating Robert E. Lee's Birthday



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