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ClearMiddle's avatar

I'm still reading your post, mostly acknowledging, and seeing nothing to deny--I am at a "reset point" in my reading of prophecy, backing up and having another (hopefully fresh) look.

When you bring up the lexical form ἐγγίζω ("eggizo") of the verb appearing in Mt. 10:7, however, I can comment already. This is not meant to detract from your message but to offer a cautionary note about using common reference tools to translate from the Greek, and about NT KJV/Textus Receptus translation. (The TR Greek, by the way is identical to the NA28 here, as it usually is.)

The verb appearing in this passage is Ἤγγικεν ("Ēggiken"), the third person singular perfective active indicative form. Verbs can present time ("when" something happens -- more important in English) or aspect (what "kind" of action occurs -- more important for the ancient Greeks).

Greek aspect is something that was less-well understood in the times of the King James translators, and this instance of the verb is expressed in the perfective aspect. Other possible aspects are undefined and continuous. When this situation occurs, it can be advisable to go in for a closer look.

"The perfective (“combinative”) aspect describes an action that was brought to completion (and hence is in the past) but has effects felt in the speaker’s present." *

Taking aspect into account, verse 7 can be translated as "As you go, proclaim the message, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand’ " (Mounce translation) or "As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ " (NIV and Osborne translations). Which by no coincidence are the ways it is typically translated. But either way, the action occurred (that is, completed, hence being "perfect") in the past and the effects are still felt in the present, a "kind" of action, not a "when" property of action. The definition you quote applies to the undefined aspect of the lexical form, namely the present active indicative defaulting to undefined aspect.

A fine point perhaps, but maybe not. My various translations are divided in their renderings of this verse. There's no perfect way to bring this use of perfective aspect over into English. Beware of reference tools dealing only with lexical forms, disregarding inflection, and particularly when writing of "timing" in the context of a verb inflected as perfective aspect.

* Mounce, William D.. Greek for the Rest of Us, Third Edition (p. 55). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition. "

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Mischelle Sandowich's avatar

And the next logical conclusion is that God wants HIS will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. And He has commissioned and empowered the church to make it happen with all His power and authority. Dispensationalism and hopeless eschatology have emasculated Christ and make Christians ignorantly promote and condone Satan’s will on earth and heaven by exalting him as god over creation. May God open the eyes of His elect, tear down the satanic industrial complex, and raise up warriors who will proclaim Christ’s preeminence over all creation. Amen! It will be done.

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