Verbal Aspect in the Book of Revelation: The Function of Greek Verb Tenses in John's Apocalypse (Linguistic Biblical Studies, 4)

The book of Revelation is well-known for its grammatical infelicities. More specifically, Revelation exhibits apparently an `odd' use of Greek verb tenses. Most attempts to describe this `odd' use of verb tenses start with the assumption that Greek verb tenses are primarily temporal in meaning. In order to explain Revelation's apparent violation of these temporal values, scholars have proposed some level of semitic influence from the Hebrew tense system as making sense of this `strange' use of tenses. However, recent research into verbal aspect, which calls into question this temporal orientation, and suggests that Greek verb tenses grammaticalize aspect and not time, has opened up new avenues for explaining the Greek verb tense usage in Revelation. This book applies verbal aspect theory to tense usage in Revelation and focuses on how the tenses, as communicating verbal aspect, function within sections of Revelation. Verbal Aspect in the Book of Revelation: The Function of Greek Verb Tenses in John’s Apocalypse......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 The Challenge of Revelation’s Language......Page 8 The Problem of Verb Tenses......Page 10 Summary......Page 21 Method and Approach......Page 23 Verbal Aspect......Page 26 Defining the Aspects......Page 36 Summary......Page 46 Aspect and Discourse Analysis......Page 47 Aspect and the Genre of Revelation......Page 52 Conclusion......Page 53 Introduction......Page 56 The Aorist Tense......Page 58 Past Time......Page 61 Present Time......Page 62 Timeless......Page 64 Future Time......Page 65 Aorist as Perfect......Page 71 The Present Tense......Page 73 Future Time......Page 74 Past Time......Page 81 Verbs of Speaking......Page 84 Non-speech Instances......Page 87 Timeless-Descriptive......Page 93 Participles......Page 95 The Imperfect Tense......Page 96 The Force of the Perfect in Revelation......Page 98 The Function of the Perfect in Revelation......Page 104 The Future Tense......Page 115 Conclusion......Page 121 Introduction......Page 124 Revelation 5......Page 130 Revelation 7.9–17......Page 136 Revelation 9......Page 141 Revelation 11.1–13......Page 144 Revelation 12–13......Page 150 Revelation 17.1–18......Page 157 Revelation 18.4–20......Page 161 Revelation 19.11–21......Page 165 Summary......Page 169 Other New Testament Texts......Page 171 Extra-Biblical Texts......Page 173 Conclusion......Page 176 5 Conclusion: Verbal Aspect and the Nature of Revelation’s Greek......Page 180 Bibliography......Page 190 Author Index......Page 200 Reference Index......Page 204 Back Matter......Page 212 The book of Revelation is well-known for its grammatical infelicities. More specifically, Revelation exhibits apparently \'odd\' use of Greek verb tenses. Most attemtps to describe this \'odd\' use of verb tenses start with the assumption that Greek verb tenses are primarily temporal in meaning. In order to explain Revelation's apparent violation of these temporal values, scholars have proposed some level of semitic influence from the Hebrew tense system as making sense of this \'odd\' use of tenses. However, recent research into verbal aspect, which calls into question this temporal orientation, and suggests that Greek verb tenses grammaticalize aspect and not time, has opened up new avenues for explaining the Greek verb tense usage in Revelation. This book applies verbal aspect theory to tense usage in Revelation and focuses on how the tenses, as communicating verbal aspect, function within sections of Revelation Drawing on recent research into verbal aspect in New Testament Greek by Stanley E. Porter, Buist M. Fanning and others, this work addresses the issue of verb tenses in the book of Revelation and how they function within its visions and discourse. Introduction -- Verbal Aspect Theory -- Verbal Aspect In Revelation -- Shifting Tenses In The Apocalypse -- Conclusion: Verbal Aspect And The Nature Of Revelation's Greek. By David L. Mathewson. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes.