There have been a number of occasions when people have asked if I could do this–write or revise the four part series (HERE) on Stanley Porter’s published dissertation, Verbal Aspect and the Greek of the New Testament that I posted back in 2008. Some of my views since 2008 have changed. Eight years on, I somehow have both a more critical and also more sympathetic view of what Dr. Porter was seeking to accomplish with that book. Some of that is a result of dialogue with people like the late Rod Decker or friends that I have at McMaster Divinity School. Additionally, my reasoning behind my disagreement with some of his conclusions have evolved and developed with my ever growing interaction with the language data itself–I have a better grasp of the nature of the verbal system to day than I imagine I did in 2009, not to mention the historical and theoretical issues.

Were I to update (or replace?) the series, the tone would need to strive for respectfulness, of course. This is scholarship, not cage match*.

Anyway, it’s something I’m thoughtfully considering. We’ll see. It might also be too big of a task to accomplish efficiently. I’m not sure. At the verb least, I’ll be taking a look at the old.

*Incidentally, I think the appeal of creating “smack downs” and “cage matches” for particular debated issues at academic conference theme sessions is one of the most unhealthy aspects of biblical studies language scholarship.