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An Exegetical Analysis of the Perfect Tense in Matthew 13:46: The Aspect of πέπρακεν
This exegetical study of ‘An Exegetical Analysis of the Perfect Tense in Matthew 13:46: The Aspect of πέπρακεν‘ is based on a b-greek discussion from February 26th, 2013. The initial query sought unambiguous examples of a perfect tense in Koine Greek that functions equivalently to an aorist, specifically where no direct relevance to the current discourse context is readily detectable. Matthew 13:45-46 was proposed as a prime illustration of this phenomenon.
The central exegetical issue revolves around the precise aspectual force of the perfect verb πέπρακεν in Matthew 13:46 within the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value. While the perfect tense typically denotes a past action with ongoing results or a present state resulting from a past action, the discussion explores whether this particular instance in a narrative context exhibits an “aoristic” aspect, simply indicating a completed past action without emphasizing the enduring result in the immediate narrative. Conversely, an alternative interpretation suggests that the perfect still retains a resultative emphasis, focusing on the merchant’s state of having divested himself of all possessions, thereby enabling the subsequent purchase.
Greek text (Nestle 1904)
45 Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ ἐμπόρῳ ζητοῦντι καλοὺς μαργαρίτας · 46 εὑρὼν δὲ ἕνα πολύτιμον μαργαρίτην ἀπελθὼν πέπρακεν πάντα ὅσα εἶχεν καὶ ἠγόρασεν αὐτόν.
Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):
- For Matthew 13:45-46, the SBLGNT (2010) presents no substantive textual variants compared to the Nestle 1904 text. Differences are limited to minor punctuation conventions (e.g., placement of the period after μαργαρίτας) and capitalization (e.g., initial letter of Πάλιν), which do not impact the lexical or grammatical analysis of πέπρακεν.
Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG)
The reading of πέπρακεν in Matthew 13:46 is universally attested across major manuscript traditions and critical editions, including the NA28, with no significant textual variants noted in the apparatus that would alter its form or meaning. Thus, the exegetical focus remains on its aspectual interpretation rather than its textual integrity.
Lexically, the verb πιπράσκω (to sell) is defined by BDAG as follows:
πιπράσκω (Aeschyl., Hdt.+.—BDF §101 p. 48; s. Mlt-h. 254) impf. ἐπίπρασκον; pf. πέπρακα (Mt 13:46 and Hv 1, 1, 1 it has aorist aspect; s. BDF §343, 1; Rob. 900).
This entry from BDAG is particularly salient, explicitly stating that the perfect form πέπρακα (and by extension, πέπρακεν) in Matthew 13:46 “has aorist aspect.” It directly references authoritative grammars such as BDF (§343, 1) and Robertson (900), which document instances of the perfect tense conveying simple past action, especially in narrative contexts. While KITTEL (TDNT) would provide a comprehensive semantic range for πιπράσκω regarding its general usage in Greek literature, its specific contribution to the aspectual debate concerning the perfect form πέπρακεν in this context is not explicitly detailed in the provided materials, which instead foreground the grammatical insights of BDAG and other grammars.
BDF (§343, 1) further elaborates on this phenomenon of the “Perfect for the aorist,” citing numerous examples from the New Testament, including Revelation, Paul, and papyri. It highlights that such usage can occur even in forms where reduplication is not clearly indicated, or where the perfect appears alongside other aorists without apparent semantic distinction, suggesting a tendency towards aspectual neutralization in certain narrative contexts of Koine Greek.
Translation Variants
The grammatical and rhetorical analysis of πέπρακεν in Matthew 13:46 presents a dichotomy of interpretation regarding its aspectual function. On one hand, the explicit statement in BDAG and the corroborating evidence from BDF and Robertson suggest that πέπρακεν here functions with an “aorist aspect.” In this view, the verb simply narrates a completed past action, “he sold,” without emphasizing a resultant state directly relevant to the narrative’s “current discourse context” (i.e., Jesus’ teaching moment). This interpretation aligns with the observation that major English translations consistently render πέπρακεν with the simple past “sold,” rather than a present perfect, which would imply ongoing relevance to the present moment of the discourse.
Conversely, an argument can be made for a residual resultative force, even if the primary narrative function appears aoristic. This perspective suggests that while the action of selling is past, the significance of the perfect tense lies in establishing the merchant’s resulting state: “the state of having nothing left unsold,” or “now in possession of the proceeds from all he sold.” According to this view, the perfect tense draws attention to the necessary precondition—the accumulation of funds—for the subsequent action of purchasing the pearl. The verb’s focal point, therefore, is not merely the act of selling but the resulting ability to acquire the pearl, making the perfect tense a rhetorically appropriate choice to underscore this consequence within the narrative of the parable. However, this interpretation must reconcile with the grammatical consensus that this perfect form, in this context, has largely acquired an aoristic function, acting as a simple narrative verb in a sequence of past actions (e.g., εὑρὼν… ἀπελθὼν… πέπρακεν… ἠγόρασεν).
Conclusions and Translation Suggestions
The exegetical analysis of πέπρακεν in Matthew 13:46 indicates a strong scholarly consensus for an “aorist aspect” in this specific instance, as documented in authoritative lexicons and grammars. While the perfect tense typically conveys a past action with ongoing results, Koine Greek exhibits instances where the perfect can simply denote a completed past action, particularly in narrative sequences. Nevertheless, the semantic implications of a “resultant state” can still be subtly present or implied by the narrative’s progression, even if not grammatically foregrounded by the verb’s aspect. The choice of translation should reflect the balance between straightforward narrative progression and any lingering sense of the action’s consequence.
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“Now when he found one expensive pearl, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
This translation prioritizes the aoristic aspect of πέπρακεν, treating it as a simple past action in sequence with other verbs, aligning with the explicit statements in BDAG and common English Bible translations.
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“Now when he found one expensive pearl, he went away, and having sold everything he owned, he bought it.”
This rendering, using a perfect participle, emphasizes the completed action of selling as a prerequisite for the subsequent purchase, subtly conveying the resultant state of having gained funds, without using a present perfect, which would be anachronistic in this narrative context.
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“Now when he found one expensive pearl, he went and disposed of all that he had and acquired it.”
This translation seeks to capture both the completed past action and the consequence by using synonyms that imply a state change (disposed of, acquired), reflecting the dynamic tension between the perfect’s inherent resultative potential and its aoristic function in this specific narrative.
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