Bible Lexicons

THE PERFECT TENSE IN GREEK CORRESPONDS TO THE PERFECT TENSE IN ENGLISH, AND DESCRIBES AN ACTION WHICH IS VIEWED AS HAVING BEEN COMPLETED IN THE PAST, ONCE AND FOR ALL, NOT NEEDING TO BE REPEATED.

JESUS'' LAST CRY FROM THE CROSS, TETELESTAI ("IT IS FINISHED!") IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE PERFECT TENSE USED IN THIS SENSE, NAMELY "IT [THE ATONEMENT] HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, COMPLETELY, ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME."

CERTAIN ANTIQUATED VERB FORMS IN GREEK, SUCH AS THOSE RELATED TO SEEING (EIDW) OR KNOWING (OIDA) WILL USE THE PERFECT TENSE IN A MANNER EQUIVALENT TO THE NORMAL PAST TENSE. THESE FEW CASES ARE EXCEPTION TO THE NORMAL RULE AND DO NOT ALTER THE NORMAL CONNOTATION OF THE PERFECT TENSE STATED ABOVE.

THE MIDDLE VOICE INDICATES THE SUBJECT PERFORMING AN ACTION UPON HIMSELF (REFLEXIVE ACTION) OR FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT. E.G., "THE BOY GROOMED HIMSELF." MANY VERBS WHICH OCCUR ONLY IN MIDDLE VOICE FORMS ARE TRANSLATED IN ENGLISH AS HAVING AN ACTIVE SENSE; THESE ARE CALLED "DEPONENT" VERBS, AND DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE NORMAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MIDDLE VOICE.

THE IMPERATIVE MOOD CORRESPONDS TO THE ENGLISH IMPERATIVE, AND EXPRESSES A COMMAND TO THE HEARER TO PERFORM A CERTAIN ACTION BY THE ORDER AND AUTHORITY OF THE ONE COMMANDING. THUS, JESUS' PHRASE, "REPENT YE, AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL" (MK.1:15) IS NOT AT ALL AN "INVITATION," BUT AN ABSOLUTE COMMAND REQUIRING FULL OBEDIENCE ON THE PART OF ALL HEARERS.