Page 57 - Bible Study Methods-Textbook_Neat

Notice the author is writing to “my little children.” Does it sound like he is writing to believers? And
again, we are talking about sin. So let’s go right to the verb phrase, “might not sin.” Notice it says under
it, V-ASA-2P. Again, it is a verb, and ASA stands for aorist tense, subjunctive, active. Remember, the
aorist tense is also often referred to as the 'punctiliar' tense. 'Punctiliar' in this sense means a "one-
point-in-time" action. Subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. So the “little
children” or believers probably will sin, but only at points in time, or as we would say it, “every now and
then.” This is describing a person who sins on occasion but is not living a life of sin. Then the promise of
this verse is that Christ is advocating for him with the Father. Quite different from I John 3:6!

So you see how important knowing the information about verbs is, and it makes all the difference in
how you would translate the verse into English and how you would explain this verse to others.

Now, let’s look at an example of how the Greek can make such a difference in understanding the gender
of nouns.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Burdens in the Greek is baros which means “weights which exceed the strength of those under them.”
In other words, we are to help others bear their burdens, because they are not able to bear it alone.

Gal 6:5 For each man shall bear his own burden.

Burden in the Greek is phortion which means “a smaller load” – like a soldier’s backpack. These are
burdens assigned only to the specific believer. I am the father of my children; that is my burden, and no
other person can carry that load. This burden I must bear on my own!

Here is another verse where the Interlinear Greek New Testament clarifies the original intent of the
nouns used.

Those who hold a strong Calvinistic position on election believe that man is totally depraved and
spiritually dead. Of course, the Bible teaches that men are depraved, but it is a matter of how depraved
is defined. Their view is that man is so dead that apart from God electing them and making them alive
from the dead, no man can be saved. They state that even if a person wanted to believe, he could not,
apart from a work of God to give him the faith even to believe.

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