5777 Tense - Aorist

     The aorist tense is characterized by its emphasis on punctiliar
     action; that is, the concept of the verb is considered without
     regard for past, present, or future time.  There is no
     direct or clear English equivalent for this tense, though it is
     generally rendered as a simple past tense in most translations.

     The events described by the aorist tense are classified into a
     number of categories by grammarians.  The most common of these

     include a view of the action as having begun from a certain
     point ("inceptive aorist"), or having ended at a certain point
     ("cumulative aorist"), or merely existing at a certain point
     ("punctiliar aorist").  The categorization of other cases can
     be found in Greek reference grammars.

     The English reader need not concern himself with most of these
     finer points concerning the aorist tense, since in most cases
     they cannot be rendered accurately in English translation,
     being fine points of Greek exegesis only.  The common practice
     of rendering an aorist by a simple English past tense should
     suffice in most cases.