While reading through today's small group lesson, a passage caught my attention. It was 2 Corinthians 5:17. I have read this passage many times, but two NT Greek Verbs caught my attention.
One Greek verb (transliterated - parerchomai) is translated into English as "passed away" refering to old things in the life of one who is now in Christ. The other Greek verb (transliterated - genomai) is translated "he has become" refering to a new creature (or new creation).
What struck me about these two verbs is that the first verb "parerchomai" is in the Greek aorist tense which means that the action of the verb is simply stating that what passed away simply happened and was completed. The verb does not reveal the duration of the action. It could be a moment in time or a life time. The aorist tense is simply communicating that the "passing away of old things" is a completed action.
However when we come to the other Greek verb, instead of being in the Greek aorist tense, it is in the Greek perfect tense. This means that the action of "becoming new" started at some point in time (which would be whenever we started in Christ) but continues and continues and continues and so on to become new. There is not the sense of a completed action, as there is with the aorist tense, but it is ongoing and continuous.
I believe most English Bible translations are trustworthy on this verse. But seeing it in the New Testament Greek elevates the significance of this passage to what it means to be "in Christ." We don't simply exchange an old lamp for a new one, but as a new creature or creation, life in Christ is continually fresh and continually comes new to us.
*As a disclaimer I don't have the credentials of someone who has mastered the New Testament Greek language in college or seminary, but I have taken a class for laymen where I learned the ancient Greek and Hebrew alphabet, some grammar basics for each, and how to use Greek and Hebrew language tools, such as analyticals, lexicons, interlinears, concordances, and textual commentaries.
One Greek verb (transliterated - parerchomai) is translated into English as "passed away" refering to old things in the life of one who is now in Christ. The other Greek verb (transliterated - genomai) is translated "he has become" refering to a new creature (or new creation).
What struck me about these two verbs is that the first verb "parerchomai" is in the Greek aorist tense which means that the action of the verb is simply stating that what passed away simply happened and was completed. The verb does not reveal the duration of the action. It could be a moment in time or a life time. The aorist tense is simply communicating that the "passing away of old things" is a completed action.
However when we come to the other Greek verb, instead of being in the Greek aorist tense, it is in the Greek perfect tense. This means that the action of "becoming new" started at some point in time (which would be whenever we started in Christ) but continues and continues and continues and so on to become new. There is not the sense of a completed action, as there is with the aorist tense, but it is ongoing and continuous.
I believe most English Bible translations are trustworthy on this verse. But seeing it in the New Testament Greek elevates the significance of this passage to what it means to be "in Christ." We don't simply exchange an old lamp for a new one, but as a new creature or creation, life in Christ is continually fresh and continually comes new to us.
*As a disclaimer I don't have the credentials of someone who has mastered the New Testament Greek language in college or seminary, but I have taken a class for laymen where I learned the ancient Greek and Hebrew alphabet, some grammar basics for each, and how to use Greek and Hebrew language tools, such as analyticals, lexicons, interlinears, concordances, and textual commentaries.
