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The perfect and pluperfect tenses are indentical in aspect though different
in time. Thus both speak of an event accomplished in the past (in the indicative
mood) with results existing afterwards - the perfect speaking of existing
results in the present, the pluperfect speaking of existing results in
the past.
A. The Perfect Tense
The force of the perfect indicative is simply that it describes an event
that, completed in the past, has results existing in the present time (i.e.,
in relation to the time of the speaker).
1. Intensive (Resultative) Perfect
The perfect may be used to emphasize the results or _present
state_ produced by a past action. The English present often is the best
translation for such a perfect.
- Mark 6:14 John the baptizer is risen from the dead.
2. Extensive (Consummative) Perfect
The perfect may be used to emphasize the completed action of
a past action or a process from which a present state emerges. It should
normally be translated in English as a present perfect.
- John 1:34 I have seen and I have testified that this is the Son of God.
3. Perfect with a Present Force
Certain verbs occur frequently (or exclusively) in the perfect tense
without the usual aspectual significance, especially with stative perfect
verbs. They have come to be used just like the present tense verbs. Oida
is the most commonly used verb in the category, but other verbs are also
used this way.
- John 1:26 In your midst stands one whom you do not know.
B. The Pluperfect
Tense
As was stated above, for the most part, the perfect and pluperfect are
identical in aspect though different in time. The force of the pluperfect
tense is that it describes an event that, completed in the past, has results
that exist in the past as well (in relation to the time of speaking). _The
pluperfect makes no comment about the results existing up to the time of
speaking._ Such results may exist at the time of speaking, or they may
not; the pluperfect contributes nothing either way.
1. Intensive (Resultative) Pluperfect
This use of the pluperfect places the emphasis on the existing results.
Its force can be brought out by translating it as a simple past tense.
- Luke 4:29 They led him to the brow of the hill on which the city was built
2. Extensive (Consummative) Pluperfect
The pluperfect may be used to emphasize the completion of an action
in past time, without focusing on the existing results. It is usually best
translated as a past perfect ("had" + perfect passive participle).
- John 4:8 For his disciples had gone into the city.
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