Καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέρας ἓξ παραλαμβάνει ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Πέτρον καὶ τὸν Ἰάκωβον καὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην καὶ ἀναφέρει αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν κατ’ ἰδίαν μόνους· καὶ μετεμορφώθη ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν, (Mark 9:2)
Opening the Scene with Tense
Mark 9:2 is a passage charged with theological wonder and narrative shift—it marks the beginning of the Transfiguration. Yet, tucked within this majestic unfolding is a grammatical lightning strike that only seasoned readers may see: the use of the present tense in a past narrative framework.
The verbs παραλαμβάνει (“he takes”) and ἀναφέρει (“he brings up”) appear in the present indicative, though the narrative is a past event. These are not errors or stylistic quirks—they are deliberate instances of the historical present, a rhetorical device that Mark employs prolifically to intensify immediacy and draw the reader into the unfolding moment.
What is the Historical Present?
The historical present is when a present-tense verb is used in a past-time narrative. While this may seem strange to English readers, in Koine Greek (especially Markan Greek), it is a common stylistic feature.
In Mark 9:2, the sequence begins with the aorist temporal marker μεθ’ ἡμέρας ἓξ (“after six days”), establishing the event in the past. One would expect the verbs to follow in the aorist or imperfect. But instead, Mark surprises us:
– παραλαμβάνει – “he takes”
– ἀναφέρει – “he brings up”
Mark does not say “ἔλαβεν” or “ἀνήνεγκεν.” Why?
Functions of the Historical Present in Markan Narrative
Mark is the most frequent user of the historical present in the New Testament. Here are some functions relevant to this verse:
- Dramatic Vividness: It makes the scene feel immediate and alive, placing the reader at the foot of the mountain with the disciples.
- Narrative Acceleration: After “six days” of pause, the narrative surges forward with action verbs in the present.
- Event Highlighting: The Transfiguration is not an ordinary event—by marking it with unusual tense usage, Mark flags it as theophanic.
Key Morphological Insights
- παραλαμβάνει
- Root: λαμβάνω
- Form: Present Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
- Lexical Meaning: “he takes along,” “he receives”
- Contextual Notes: The present form in past-time narrative is a classic historical present. The verb emphasizes intentional action—he takes them for something special.
- ἀναφέρει
- Root: φέρω
- Form: Present Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular (compound with ἀνά)
- Lexical Meaning: “he brings up,” “he leads up”
- Contextual Notes: Compound verb emphasizing upward movement—a physical ascent that parallels the spiritual elevation of the event. Present tense draws the reader into the moment of ascent.
Are There Precedents in Greek Literature?
Yes. The historical present is found throughout Classical and Hellenistic Greek:
- Homer: Occasionally uses present verbs in battle scenes.
- Herodotus: Uses historical present for dramatic anecdotes.
- Mark: Uses it more than 150 times, making it the most vivid of the Evangelists.
Unlike Luke, who often smooths out these constructions with aorists, Mark retains the rawness of oral storytelling—his Gospel was likely intended for public reading, where the historical present had more rhetorical force.
Table: Verbal Tense Choices in the Synoptic Transfiguration Accounts
| Gospel | Initial Verb | Tense Used | Narrative Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | παραλαμβάνει | Present | High immediacy and vividness |
| Matthew | παραλαμβάνει | Present | Mirrors Mark’s dramatic urgency |
| Luke | ἀνέβη | Aorist | More polished, less abrupt |
Mark’s Tense is a Mountain of Its Own
When Mark chooses to climb the mountain of grammar, he doesn’t take the easy road. The present-tense verbs in Mark 9:2 may appear unassuming, but they function like literary spotlight beams. They remind the reader that this is not a memory—it is a revelation unfolding before your eyes.
We are meant to feel the sandals crunching on rocky paths, to hear the breath of the disciples as they ascend, and to stand speechless as Jesus is transfigured right in front of us. The historical present does not just tell the story—it invites us into it.
Where Tense Becomes Revelation
In Mark’s hands, the present tense does more than signal time — it becomes a theological event. The grammar itself bends time, pulling eternity into the now. By choosing παραλαμβάνει and ἀναφέρει in the present tense, Mark does not merely record history — he reanimates it. The Transfiguration is not simply a past glory witnessed by three men; it becomes an invitation to ascend with them. Syntax becomes sacrament. Tense becomes revelation.
Here, the reader is no longer a distant observer but a participant in divine unveiling. Just as the mountain lifts the disciples above the noise of the crowd, the grammatical form lifts the reader above the surface of narrative into the luminous mystery of presence. The Transfiguration doesn’t only happen on the mountain — it happens in the very verbs that carry us there.
