Shortly Come to Pass and the Error of Preterism

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Elder Strange ... it does appear your premise is flawed ... you translated a preposition .... and used it out of context.

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Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Elder Strange ... it does appear your premise is flawed ... you translated a preposition .... and used it out of context.

I am no Greek scholar, but I was able to detect this very severe flaw in Bro Strange's Greek analysis.

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Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

en is a preposition ... not a prefix.

Ooops. Sorry. I meant a preposition that prefixes the term TACHOS. Anyway, you got the point.

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Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Elder Strange ... it does appear your premise is flawed ... you translated a preposition .... and used it out of context.

Can you show us an English example of how one ruins the entire thought by only taking a preposition that prefixes a term and trying to prove the meaning of the two terms together is not correct?

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G1722
ἐν
en
en
A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); “in”, at, (up-) on, by, etc.: - about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-) by (+ all means), for (. . . sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-) in (-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-) on, [open-] ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, [speedi-] ly, X that, X there (-in, -on), through (-out), (un-) to(-ward), under, when, where (-with), while, with (-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) prep.

Notice the underscored part of Strong's definition. EN can be used to denote a fixed position in one of three things, namely PLACE, TIME or STATE. This tells us that the term it prefixes will detemrine WHICH OF THE THREE ELEMENTS with which it denotes FIXED POSITION. And since TACHOS is the term that EN prefixes, and TACHOS means HASTE IN THE SENSE OF TIME, then IT CAN ONLY BE THAT OF FIXED POSITION IN TIME when together with Tachos.

G5034
τάχος
tachos
takh'-os
From the same as G5036; a brief space (of time), that is, (with G1722 prefixed) in haste: - + quickly, + shortly, + speedily.

Note that every definition of the term TACHOS is TIME related in the sense of speed. This limits the term EN to denote fixed position IN TIME. So the Strong's definition says that when EN prefixes TACHOS, it is "IN (EN) HASTE (TACHOS)"

We get TACHOMETER from the greek term TACHOS. SPEED IN TIME ...

Prepositions MODIFY a noun a verb or an adjective. The word is translated in itself as "IN" oir "BY"

BEING "IN PREGNANCY" is a totally different issue altogether from "IN SPEED." Technically EN TACHOS means "IN SPEED".

But when one is a certain sort of "spiritual", I guess faulty definitions due to improper understanding of Greek Prepositions become doctrinal issues!

Wow, Bro Strange, did you ever waffle on this one.

[Praxeas]

Vincents Word Studies
For the phrase ἐν τάχει shortly, see Luk_18:8, where yet long delay is implied. Expressions like this must be understood, not according to human measurement of time, but rather as in 2Pe_3:8. The idea is, before long, as time is computed by God. The aorist infinitive γενέσθαι is not begin to come to pass, but denotes a complete fulfilment: must shortly come to pass in their entirety.

A.T. Robertson
Must shortly come to pass (dei genesthai en tachei). Second aorist middle infinitive of ginomai with dei. See this same adjunct (en tachei) in Luk_18:8; Rom_16:20; Rev_22:6. It is a relative term to be judged in the light of 2Pe_3:8 according to God’s clock, not ours. And yet undoubtedly the hopes of the early Christians looked for a speedy return of the Lord Jesus. This vivid panorama must be read in the light of that glorious hope and of the blazing fires of persecution from Rome.

ἐν
en
en
A primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), that is, a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); "in", at, (up-) on, by, etc.: - about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-) by (+ all means), for (. . . sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-) in (-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-) on, [open-] ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, [speedi-] ly, X that, X there (-in, -on), through (-out), (un-) to(-ward), under, when, where (-with), while, with (-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) prep.

BTW is it possible what is meant is that the events that are in Revelations will occur during a relatively brief period of time....say over the course of 7 years? Who gets to decide how long "shorty" is in terms of days or years anyways?

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The greek is actually "EN TACHOS". And every time those two terms are used together, with EN prefixing TACHOS, we find HASTE in the sense of TIME.

Looking at the 7 references using this word ... it does appear this assessment is accurate ....

We get our English word tachometer from this word ...

Especially in the first 4 cited ....

How does the parable of the Widow and Unjust Judge play into the context of this word?

[SDG]

A.T. Robertson
Must shortly come to pass (dei genesthai en tachei). Second aorist middle infinitive of ginomai with dei. See this same adjunct (en tachei) in Luk_18:8; Rom_16:20; Rev_22:6. It is a relative term to be judged in the light of 2Pe_3:8 according to God’s clock, not ours. And yet undoubtedly the hopes of the early Christians looked for a speedy return of the Lord Jesus. This vivid panorama must be read in the light of that glorious hope and of the blazing fires of persecution from Rome.

It does seem that Robertson's own end time prophecy views are skewing his commentary ....

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Originally Posted by Praxeas

BTW is it possible what is meant is that the events that are in Revelations will occur during a relatively brief period of time....say over the course of 7 years? Who gets to decide how long "shorty" is in terms of days or years anyways?
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Yes, it is possible. That is far more reasonable than saying what Bro Strange did in his error of limiting the term to half of itself by only researching "EN".

But since the Lord was writing to Jpohn with no intention of obscuring the point, but rather enhancing it, we have no reason to say SHORTLY refers to thousands of years, for sure, anyway.

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Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

It does seem that Robertson's own end time prophecy views are skewing his commentary ....

As well as Vincent.

I have a Greek Scholar who is a witness, though! Perhaps that is the only way a Greek Scholar can assess the verse since they know what the term means.