26 Jody A. Barnard panied by emphatic linguistic features (πλήν, ἰδού). Thus, Porter’s theory could explain the use of verbal aspect in vv. 28b-29a. But when the tense changes to future (ἐροῦσιν) and aorist (ἐγέννησαν, ἔθρεψαν) his theory is more difficult to maintain since it is the fact that childless mothers will be considered blessed that makes the coming days significant. It is also possible that the phrase ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται ἡμέραι is an attempt to indicate prominence by echoing the Prophets (cf. Jer 7,32; 16,14; 38,31) rather than by selecting the present tense. 4.1 Observations Although the pronouncement stories offer a few more instances of tense usage that could be explained on the basis of Porter’s proposal (e.g. 7,22.47; 12,15) the evidence is not overwhelming. There are also many examples that are not explainable on the basis of Porter’s proposal (e.g. 7,9; 13,15-16; 17,17-18; 19,9). Furthermore, on those occasions where tense usage coheres with Porter’s theory, there is often an alternative, and sometimes more convincing, explanation for its appearance. In addition to this it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain that Luke was invariably free to choose the aspect of his verb. Porter is undoubtedly correct to draw attention to the subjectivity involved in the appropriation of verbal aspect but he appears to have exaggerated this point out of proportion. Occasional reference has been made to some of the factors that might have influenced the appropriation of verbal aspect so we will now consider these in a little more detail. 4.2 Pattern of Usages and Lexis Moisés Silva has suggested that “significant patterns of usage may be far more determinative [of verbal aspect] than the desire to convey a semantic point”96. It has already been suggested that this might account for the perfect in the phrase ἀφέωνταί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι (5,20.23; 7,47- 48) and ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε (7,50; 8,48; 17,19; 18,42) or the present in the temporal idiom τῇ ἐχομένῃ (ἡμέρᾳ) (Lk 13,33; Ac 20,15; 21,26) but the point deserves more attention than a passing reference. It is beyond doubt that certain verbs typically occur in one aspect rather than another. Θάπτω (9,59-60; 16,22), for example, always occurs M. Silva, “A Response to Fanning and Porter on Verbal Aspect”, in Porter and Carson 96 (eds.), Greek Language and Linguistics, 80-81.