Lesson 4 | Aorist Indicatives
[2] 2nd Aorist Middle Indicatives
Second aorist middle indicatives are quite similar to imperfect middle indicatives. Like second aorist active indicatives, these forms differ from their imperfect counterparts only by the use of an aorist stem:
Now, let’s look compare γίνομαι as an imperfect middle or passive indicative and as an aorist middle indicative:¹
| γίνομαι in the indicative middle | |||||||||
| Imperfect | 2nd Aorist | ||||||||
| Singular | First | ἐγινόμην | ἔγενόμην | ||||||
| Second | ἐγίνου | ἐγένου | |||||||
| Third | ἐγίνετο | ἐγένετο | |||||||
| Plural | First | ἐγινόμεθα | ἐγενόμεθα | ||||||
| Second | ἐγίνεσθε | ἐγένεσθε | |||||||
| Third | ἐγίνοντο | ἐγένοντο | |||||||
Again, the aorist stem distinguishes γίνομαι in the aorist middle indicative (γεν) from the imperfect middle or passive indicative (γιν). Indeed, there’s only one letter difference between these forms! So, if you memorized the secondary middle or passive verb pattern during the last lesson, you only need to recognize the aorist stem for verbs that form as second aorists.
Practice
Examples from the Greek NT
τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου; ἢ τίς σύμβουλος αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο; For who knew the mind of the Lord? Or who was his counselor? —Romans 11:34
This is a great example to look at, not only because God calls us to worship and celebrate him as we translate these words but also because it contains two second aorist forms: one second aorist active indicative and one second aorist middle indicative. Let’s look at each one in order.
First, let’s look at ἔγνω. From the augment, aorist stem, and no tense-former, we know that this is a second aorist indicative. But what about the ending? Well, the endings we learned actually consist of two parts. The first part is the first letter in the ending. This first letter is always a vowel that connects the ending to the stem: -ον, -ες, ε(ν), -ομεν, -ετε, -ον. The remaining letters make up the second part of the ending. These are the actual verb ending. Since the aorist stem γνω ends with a vowel, this vowel actually replaces the first part of the ending. So, as an aorist, active, indicative, first person, singular γινώσκω would appear as: ἔγνων. Do you see what happened? The ω from the aorist stem replaces the ο from the ending: ἔγνω+ον = ἔγνων. Now, what about ἔγνω? Do you remember the third person singular ending from the secondary active verb pattern? It is -ε(ν). The ε is the first part of the ending that connects the ending to the verb stem. Once again, the ω from γνω would replace that part of the ending. What are we left with: ἔγνω(ν). The ν is only sometimes part of the ending. With this verb, it does not appear. Thus, we are left with ἔγνω.
ε+γνω+ε(ν)
[Augment]
[Stem]
[Tense-Former]
[Ending]
So, we can parse this as an aorist, active, indicative, third person, singular from γινώσκω.
Now, let’s look at ἐγένετο:
ε+γεν+ετο
[Augment]
[Stem]
[Tense-Former]
[Ending]
The four key features help us parse ἐγένετο as an aorist, middle, indicative, third person, singular from γίνομαι. Also, remember that γίνομαι is a “to be” verb. So, it takes a predicate nominative rather than a direct object. That’s why σύμβουλος is in the nominative case rather than the accusative.
καὶ ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας· And behold, there was a huge earthquake. —Matthew 28:2
ἐγένετο is the main verb in this clause. Let’s look at its four key features:
ε+γεν+ετο
[Augment]
[Stem]
[Tense-Former]
[Ending]
With these four key features, we can parse ἐγένετο as an aorist, middle, indicative, third person, singular from γίνομαι.
Parsing Practice: Aorist Stems
Before moving on to first aorist indicatives, let’s practice identifying different second aorist verbs. Remember, if you know the secondary verb pattern and rules about the augment, then you just need to match the aorist stem with its lexical form.