Matthew 6:12

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Textual and Grammatical Considerations in Matthew 6:12: The Verb ἀφίημι

This exegetical study of “Grammatical” Categories Matthew 6:12 is based on a b-greek discussion from Mon Sep 20 16:57:18 1999. The initial inquiry expresses perplexity regarding the omission of significant variant readings for the verb **ἀφήκαμεν** in Matthew 6:12 within the UBS4 Greek New Testament. The original contributor noted that the UBS4’s own textual commentary (Metzger 1994:13) indicated a lack of unanimity among its committee members, with only a majority preferring **ἀφήκαμεν** over **ἀφίεμεν** and **ἀφίομεν**. This raises questions about the criteria for including or excluding variants, especially when the editorial board itself is divided.

The main exegetical issue at hand revolves around the precise temporal and aspectual meaning conveyed by the verb **ἀφίημι** (“to forgive”) in Matthew 6:12. The textual variants—**ἀφήκαμεν** (Aorist Active Indicative), **ἀφίομεν** (Present Active Indicative), and **ἀφίεμεν** (Present Active Indicative)—each carry distinct grammatical implications for the relationship between human and divine forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer. The choice between these forms significantly impacts whether human forgiveness is presented as a completed prior condition, an ongoing practice, or a habitual state, thereby shaping the theological understanding of the petition “And forgive us our debts, as also we [forgive/have forgiven] our debtors.” Further complexity arises from the grammatical characteristics of Koine Greek, particularly the interaction between the aorist and perfect tenses for verbs lacking a robust perfect paradigm.

και αφες ημιν τα οφειληματα ημων, ως και ημεις αφηκαμεν τοις οφειλεταις ημων (Nestle 1904)

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• The primary text for Matthew 6:12 in SBLGNT (2010) is identical to the Nestle 1904 reading presented above, featuring **ἀφήκαμεν**.
• However, scholarly discussion, as evidenced by the b-greek forum, highlights significant variant readings for the verb **ἀφίημι** at this point:
  • **ἀφίομεν** (Present Active Indicative): Supported by manuscripts such as δ, λ, ω, Delta, Theta, and 565.
  • **ἀφίεμεν** (Present Active Indicative): Supported by manuscripts including א¹ (first corrector), Family 13, and the Byzantine majority text.
• These variants propose an ongoing or habitual action of human forgiveness, contrasting with the perfective aspect of the dominant **ἀφήκαμεν** reading.

Textual Criticism (NA28): The critical apparatus of NA28, mirroring UBS4 and SBLGNT, retains **ἀφήκαμεν** as the preferred reading, assigning it an {A} rating, indicating a high degree of certainty. The apparatus for Matthew 6:12 lists the significant variants: **ἀφίομεν** [D L W Θ 056 565 al] and **ἀφίεμεν** [א* pc lat]. The manuscript evidence strongly favors **ἀφήκαμεν**, which is supported by early and significant witnesses such as א (original reading), B (Codex Vaticanus), and Z (Codex Dublinensis), as well as Family 1 and some Vulgate and Syriac manuscripts. The textual weight underscores **ἀφήκαμεν** as the reading most likely closest to the original. The rationale for UBS4’s omission of these variants, despite the committee’s internal division, is attributed to its primary aim for translators, suggesting that the variants were not deemed weighty enough to significantly alter the passage’s meaning or translation requirements (Metzger 1994:13).

Lexical Notes (KITTEL, BDAG): The verb **ἀφίημι** (BDAG, s.v.; KITTEL, TDNT, s.v.) carries the fundamental meaning “to let go, send away, release, dismiss,” and in a theological context, “to forgive, pardon.” The form **ἀφήκαμεν** is an Aorist Active Indicative, first person plural. BDAG indicates that for **ἀφίημι**, the aorist **ἀφῆκα** is the most common form, often functioning with a perfective aspect, denoting a completed action or an action viewed as a whole. KITTEL further emphasizes the profound theological significance of “forgiving” (**ἀφίημι**) in the Synoptic Gospels, particularly in the context of the Lord’s Prayer, where it establishes a direct link between human and divine forgiveness. A recurring discussion in Koine Greek grammar concerns verbs lacking a robust perfect tense paradigm, where the aorist may, in certain contexts, assume functions typically associated with the perfect, indicating a completed action with continuing results or a settled state. This is particularly relevant given the observation from Zerwick & Grosvenor (as cited in the original discussion) that **ἀφήκαμεν** could represent a “Semitic perfect” which, in certain circumstances, may carry a present sense or denote a completed action with ongoing relevance, especially in a conditional clause introduced by **ὡς καὶ** (“as also”). The morphological characteristics of older -**κα** aorists like **ἀφῆκα** and **ἔδωκα** further contribute to this discussion of the potential fusion or overlap in semantic functions between aorist and perfect in Hellenistic Greek.

Translation Variants

The grammatical and rhetorical analysis of Matthew 6:12 hinges significantly on the tense of the verb **ἀφίημι** in the protasis “ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς … τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν” (“as also we … our debtors”), which establishes the condition or comparison for the petition “καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν” (“And forgive us our debts”).

• The dominant reading, **ἀφήκαμεν** (Aorist Active Indicative, 1st Plural), conveys a perfective aspect, presenting human forgiveness as a completed action. Rhetorically, this implies that the act of forgiving debtors has already taken place, serving as a prerequisite or an established state that forms the basis for requesting divine forgiveness. It suggests a chronological precedence or a settled condition: “because we have already forgiven.” This creates a strong rhetorical link, where the human action is a completed reality mirroring the divine action being requested.
• The variants **ἀφίομεν** and **ἀφίεμεν** (both Present Active Indicative, 1st Plural) convey an imperfective aspect, denoting an ongoing or habitual action. If these readings were preferred, the clause would mean “as we are forgiving” or “as we habitually forgive our debtors.” This shifts the rhetorical emphasis from a completed act to a continuous practice. It would imply that human forgiveness is an ongoing process that parallels God’s continuous forgiveness, perhaps suggesting that the suppliant is *presently engaged* in the act of forgiveness as a condition for receiving it. The comparison is then one of a continuous mirroring action rather than a prior accomplished one.

The choice between these aspects influences the theological interpretation. The aorist **ἀφήκαμεν** emphasizes the decisive, once-for-all nature of human forgiveness as a foundation for divine mercy, aligning with a view that one must first act in faith and obedience. The present tense variants, conversely, might suggest a more dynamic, ongoing relationship where forgiveness is a constant practice, reflecting a continuous state of spiritual readiness.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

Based on the strong textual evidence and scholarly consensus, **ἀφήκαμεν** stands as the most textually secure reading for Matthew 6:12. The grammatical discussion within the b-greek forum highlights the nuanced interpretation of this aorist form, particularly its potential to function with a perfective aspect (completed action with ongoing results) or even, in the context of Koine Greek and Semitic influence, to suggest a settled state or habitual action. The connection between human and divine forgiveness is clearly established by **ὡς καὶ** (as also), indicating that human forgiveness serves as both a model and a prerequisite for receiving God’s forgiveness.

1. “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
   This translation emphasizes the perfective aspect of the aorist **ἀφήκαμεν**, indicating a completed act of human forgiveness that has taken place prior to or is a settled condition at the moment of the prayer, serving as a basis for God’s forgiveness.
2. “And forgive us our debts, just as we forgave our debtors.”
   This renders the aorist as a simple past action, highlighting the completion of the act without necessarily stressing the ongoing results as much as the perfective sense might. It still implies a prior human action that grounds the petition for divine forgiveness.
3. “And forgive us our debts, in the manner that we habitually forgive our debtors.”
   While **ἀφήκαμεν** is an aorist, the discussion acknowledges the potential for the aorist in Koine Greek to absorb functions of the perfect or to express a general truth or settled practice, particularly given its potential as a “Semitic perfect.” This interpretation suggests human forgiveness as a continuous characteristic or an established pattern of behavior that forms the basis for the petition.