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Aspectual Theory and Markedness in 1 John 2.12-14Nick Elder

Denver Seminary9.12.2012

It will be beneficial to demonstrate how aspectual theorywould not

approach the verb tenses in 1John 2.12-14, before making an argument for how the tenses are being utilized from this perspective.Aspectual theory would not state, as a temporal framework would, that 2.12-13 are concerned with whatJohn is writing in present time, whether that be as he was presently dictating to his amanuensis or asviewing the epistle as a whole. Aspectual theory would also not asseverate that the aorist verbs in in 2.14are primarily concerned with a past time that John wrote to the community. Finally, in an aspectualunderstanding, the six perfect verbs are not a reflection of a present state of affairs (that the communityis forgiven, that the community knows, and that the community is victorious) that occur from a pastaction. In fact, vss. 12-13 do not give evidence to any past action that would result in the new state of affairs. Without a past action the idea that the perfects reflect past action with continuing results isnearly nonsensical.

One of the benefits of aspectual theory is its ability to demonstrate prominence within discourse,which is the primary task of discourse analysis. Aspectual theory has the ability to establish where thepoints of prominence in 1 John 2.12-14 are. The tenses establish different levels of the text and willultimately point to two phrases at the beginning and end of these verses as the most marked, based bothon aspectual theory and discourse analysis. Outlining the text will be beneficial in demonstrating this,first based solely on tense usage. I have highlighted the present tense in yellow, the perfect tense in red,and the aorist tense in green.

Aorist Present Perfect

2.12 , , .

13 , , . , , .14 , , .

, , . , ,

.

Utilizing aspectual theory alone, the perfect verbs would be the most marked feature of thesesentences, thus the action accomplished, as demonstrated by the clauses with the perfect verbs (thatyour sins have been forgiven through his name, that which you know from the beginning, that you haveovercome evil, that you know the father, that which you know from the beginning [repeated], and thatyou have overcome evil [repeated]) would be considered most significant. There is some validity to this:surely these verbs are more emphatic than the repeated verb in its present and aorists forms.However, there is more we can glean from discourse analysis and markedness theory than is present inthe tense of the verbs alone. Repetition is a significant feature of these verses, thus what is not repeatedis likely meant to be more prominent than what is repeated. Using the same color schema as above Ihave coded words and phrases that are not repeated in blue.

2.12 , , .

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13 , , . , , .

14 , , . , , . , ,

.

Assuming that is merely a circumlocution for , the phrases at thebeginning and end of these verses become most significant. This is evidence by their placement in thediscourse, their breaking of a repeated pattern, and that they occur near the highly marked perfect tenseverbs. Also, it is certainly of significance that John returns to the present tense in v. 14, furtherhighlighting the markedness of the end of the verse through a shift in verb tense.

In conclusion, aspectual theory allows us, as interpreters, to think about which words in the textare most highly marked. We can conclude, based on aspectual theory presuppositions, that the perfectverbs are more marked than the present and aorist forms of , but we must look further to findother marked elements leading to the conclusion that the end of v. 12 and the end of v.14 are the mostmarked and thus the most significant for John and his audience.