On Tue, 9 Jan 2001 09:07:46 -0800 "Jon D. Boyd" writes: > John 5:24 > AMHN AMHN LEGW hUMIN hOTI hO TON LOGON MOU AKOUWN KAI PISTEUWN TWi > PEMYANTI ME ECEI ZWHN AIWNION KAI EIS KRISIN OUK ERCETAI, ALLA > *METABEBHKEN* EK TOU QANATOU EIS THN ZWHN. > > What could I legitimately say about the *tense* of METABEBHKEN (so > that the average church attender would understand)? > > Thanks much, > Jonathan Boyd > Ankeny, IA Hey, Jonathan: I saw you are down I-35 just a few miles from me (Carl is a bit further, in Missouri), so couldn't resist. Perhaps a cup of coffee sometime? I find the Johannine interplay with the present tense - perfect tense fascinating and foundational to his teachings. While the purpose of the Gospel of John is given by 20:31, these things are written that you may believe, the purpose of 1 John is given by, these things are written to you who believe that you may know you have eternal life (5:13). The comparison between 1 Jn 5:1, hO PISTEUWN ... EK TOU QEOU GEGENNHTAI, and Jn 5:24, PISTEUWN ... METABEBHKEN EK TOU QANATOU EIS THN ZWHN, may suggest what is going on is simply to say that the one who is characterized by belief in the Son of God gives evidence that he has been born of God in the past (and remains in the state of having been born, that is, can be assured he remains a child of God) and that likewise at the time of birth, also passed from death into life, the state within which he now remains. Dr. Paul S. Dixon, Pastor Evangelical Free Church Iowa Falls, IA http://members.aol.com/dixonps --- B-Greek home page: http://metalab.unc.edu/bgreek You are currently subscribed to b-greek as: [jwrobie@mindspring.com] To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-b-greek-327Q@franklin.oit.unc.edu To subscribe, send a message to subscribe-b-greek@franklin.oit.unc.edu