The Perfect Tense
Often, when I teach or preach on the resurrection passages in the New Testament, I make a point about the perfect tense of Greek verbs. The reason for my grammar lesson is that when the Bible says, "He is risen," it comes from the perfect tense of the verb "to rise." In English the perfect tense is simply another way to say that something happened in the past and the action was completed. We say it, "He has risen." However, Greek is much more full of meaning. It means an action has been completed but the results remain until the present time. That is why most translations say, "He is risen." Jesus rose again 2,000 years ago, but He is still risen, and the results of the resurrection are still in effect today. Isn't that glorious? I think it is.
There are many people who remember the resurrection of Jesus simply as a past event. Then, they go on with their lives, never realizing the full significance that has for them. Since Jesus is alive, we can and should have a daily love relationship with Him. We should converse with Him every day all day long. He is there to forgive our sins when we surrender to Him in faith as our Lord and Savior, but He is also there to give us the power to overcome sin each time we are tempted. (Hebrews 4:15) In fact, there is nothing we can't do, as we follow His will, and He is leading us. That is the meaning of the perfect tense. I hope you will think of that each time you hear the exclamation, "He is risen."
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 22-24 and Luke 12:1-31.
There are many people who remember the resurrection of Jesus simply as a past event. Then, they go on with their lives, never realizing the full significance that has for them. Since Jesus is alive, we can and should have a daily love relationship with Him. We should converse with Him every day all day long. He is there to forgive our sins when we surrender to Him in faith as our Lord and Savior, but He is also there to give us the power to overcome sin each time we are tempted. (Hebrews 4:15) In fact, there is nothing we can't do, as we follow His will, and He is leading us. That is the meaning of the perfect tense. I hope you will think of that each time you hear the exclamation, "He is risen."
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 22-24 and Luke 12:1-31.