Understanding the Nuances of the Aorist Tense in Koine Greek
Posted: October 10th, 2025, 4:29 am
Hello everyone,
I’ve been revisiting some New Testament passages lately and came across interesting uses of the aorist tense that don’t seem to fit the typical “punctiliar” description. For instance, in John 11:35—ἐδάκρυσενὁ Ἰησοῦς, the verb appears to express more than just a single point in time.
I’d like to open a discussion on how we should best understand the aspectual nature of the aorist—particularly in narrative contexts. Should we interpret the aorist primarily as aspectual (viewing the action as a whole) rather than strictly temporal?
I would also appreciate any recommended readings or resources on modern linguistic approaches to verbal aspect in Koine Greek (e.g., Porter, Fanning, Campbell).
Looking forward to your insights!
I’ve been revisiting some New Testament passages lately and came across interesting uses of the aorist tense that don’t seem to fit the typical “punctiliar” description. For instance, in John 11:35—ἐδάκρυσενὁ Ἰησοῦς, the verb appears to express more than just a single point in time.
I’d like to open a discussion on how we should best understand the aspectual nature of the aorist—particularly in narrative contexts. Should we interpret the aorist primarily as aspectual (viewing the action as a whole) rather than strictly temporal?
I would also appreciate any recommended readings or resources on modern linguistic approaches to verbal aspect in Koine Greek (e.g., Porter, Fanning, Campbell).
Looking forward to your insights!