Here is a table listing the aspects of a verb in the first column and their respective values for the Hebrew verb בָּרָ֣א (Genesis 1:1) and the Greek verb μνηστευθείσης (Matthew 1:18):
| "Create" (often associated with divine creation)
| |
| Not explicitly marked; inferred from context
| Aorist (past action, viewed as complete)
|
| Perfective (completed action)
| Perfective (action viewed as a whole)
|
| Indicative (implied by narrative context)
| Participial (dependent verbal adjective)
|
| Active (God as subject performing the action)
| Passive (subject receives the action of being betrothed)
|
| | N/A (participles do not mark person)
|
| | |
| | |
| Positive (no negation present)
| Positive (no negation present)
|
| Transitive (requires an object, e.g., "heavens and earth")
| Intransitive (does not require an object)
|
| | |
| Telic (action has a clear endpoint: creation completed)
| Telic (action completed: betrothal finalized)
|
| Implied volitional (God intentionally creates)
| Implied non-volitional (betrothal happens to subject)
|
| | |
| | |
Notes:
The Hebrew verb בָּרָ֣א is in the Qal perfect form, which expresses a completed action in Biblical Hebrew. It is often interpreted as "created" with God as the subject performing the action actively and intentionally .
The Greek verb μνηστευθείσης is an aorist passive participle, feminine singular. It describes an action that has been completed in the past, with the subject receiving the action of being betrothed .
Both verbs are telic, indicating actions with clear endpoints. However, their voice differs significantly: Hebrew uses active voice to emphasize God's role as creator, while Greek uses passive voice to highlight that the subject is acted upon.
This comparison highlights how Hebrew and Greek verbs encode grammatical features differently, requiring careful interpretation during translation to preserve meaning and nuance.
