The gnomic and/or logical future tense in the Greek New Testament

Abstract

The so-called gnomic use of the Greek future tense is normally considered as a rare use in the New Testament. A use that seems to overlap with the gnomic future is the so-called logical future, a future that is normally used in a conditional or comparative context in which the time of fulfilment is not significant or primary. The main problem that is addressed in this research is the identification of the gnomic and/or logical future tense in the New Testament and its implication for the interpretation of the verses in which they occur. The secondary problem that is addressed is to determine the various functions of the future tense that may assist the interpreter to assign valid meaning to sentences. Instances of the future tense in the Greek New Testament that can be described as gnomic or logical are identified, described, interpreted and categorised. The context in which the future tense is used, is considered to be the significant factor in describing the way in which the future tense is used. A possible re-evaluation is envisioned of the way in which the future tense is understood and also of the way in which context and grammar relate in general. The study concludes that the gnomic future pertains to a future that expresses a general truth or principle that is true for anyone at any time, irrespective of the actual time of fulfilment. A logical future is defined as occurring in contexts where the time of fulfilment is insignificant or not primary, and constitutes or forms part of (1) the protasis or apodosis of a condition, (2) a comparison or, (3) a logical sequence, result, motivation, cause or effect.