17 Is Verbal Aspect a Prominence Indicator? mean that virtually everything is prominent, which is tantamount to virtually nothing being prominent. The reception of sight (v. 43) is quite clearly the main point for Luke. The importance of the blind receiving sight is evident from the fact that Luke makes it one of the features anticipated in Jesus’ programmatic sermon (4,16-21 cf. Mk 6,1-6), yet this is the first actual narrative of such a healing. Not only is it explicitly marked with the fronted παραχρῆμα, but the entire discourse deliberately dwells upon the theme of the presen- ce or absence of sight. Apart from Jesus, whose presence is assumed, the τυφλός is the first participant to be introduced, and thus the complicating action is already implicit from the outset. Yet the climactic resolution is delayed by the dialogue between Jesus and the blind man (vv. 41-42). In these verses the man’s request (ἀναβλέψω) and Jesus’ solution (ἀνάβλεψον) are made ex- plicit. The discourse preponderance upon sight is all the more significant when compared to Mark’s simple ὕπαγε (Mk 10,52). Although the Mar- kan counterpart is present tense it is unlikely to be any more prominent than Luke’s ἀνάβλεψον. Indeed, assuming Mark was Luke’s source for this pericope, it could be argued that Luke’s deliberate alteration is more significant, yet it is aorist. Finally, the climactic resolution is presented with yet another occurrence of ἀναβλέπω, but it is conjugated in the aorist tense (ἀνέβλεψεν). 3.1 Observations The overwhelming testimony of these passages leads one to doubt Porter’s understanding of the discourse function of, at least, the aorist tense since so many prominent events and actions are grammaticalized in that tense form. This does not deny that background information is expressed with the aorist; indeed, it is frequently found in such contexts. Rather, it calls into question the bold statement that “the aorist is the background tense [italics mine]”53. It would seem that “background” is not inherent to the aorist; therefore, one cannot say that no attention is being drawn to an action simply because it is grammaticalized in this tense. According to Porter’s system the stative aspect communicates the highest level of prominence and admittedly some important events are grammaticalized in this aspect (e.g. 5,20; 18,42). However, some relatively Porter, Idioms, 23. 53