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Chapter 51 · Lesson 51.2 · Verb
Verb – Special uses of the subjunctive
ObjectivesLearning objectives
- An overview of the syntax and semantics of the subjunctive
VocabularyVocabulary
| Greek | Gloss | Part of speech | Paradigm |
|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ ἁγιασμός, -οῦ | the consecration | noun | B.a.β.i |
| ὁ οἰκονόμος, -ου | the steward | noun | B.a.β.i |
| ἀδύνατος, -ον | impossible | adjective | A.a.γ |
| ταχέως | quickly | adverb | |
| εἰσάγω σε εἰς τόπον | (I) bring you (acc) into a place (acc) | verb | C.a.ζ |
| ζῳοποιεῖ τινα | (he) gives life to something/one (acc) | verb | C.a.β |
SyntaxSyntax-semantics: Verb – Special uses of the subjunctive
The subjunctive is used as a complement after certain verbs and in ἵνα clauses (28.1.4), as a cohortative (29.3.4.2), a prohibitive (29.4.3.1), and for obligations in questions (30.3.3.2). In addition to these uses, the subjunctive may be used with the following conjunctions and particles (the section number is given for those discussed previously; verse references are given for those not previously discussed: μή (29.4.3.1), ἐάν (32.4.3.1), ὅταν (36.3.4.2), ἕως (42.3.3), ἄχρι (43.3.3.1), ὡς (43.3.3.1), μήποτε (47.1.2), μέχρι (49.4.3.1), ἄν (50.4.3.1), ὅπως (50.4.3.1), ἐάνπερ (Heb 3:14), εἰ(τε) (Phil 3:12), ἐπάν (Luke 11:34), ἥνικα ἄν (2 Cor 3:15), μηκέτι (Rom 14:13), πρίν (Luke 2:26), πῶς (Mark 14:11). Although some of these conjunctions must occur in adjuncts (such as the temporal conjunctions, i.e. ἕως, μέχρι, ἄχρι, πρίν, μηκέτι, and ἥνικα), many of them alternate between being used as adjuncts or complements depending on the verb (i.e. ὅπως, εἰ, ἵνα, question words, μή). Besides these uses, we may add the following:
- (623) Negative epistemic certainty with οὐ μή ὁ ἐρχόμενος πρὸς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ πεινάσῃ, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ διψήσει πώποτε (John 6:35)
- The one who comes to me will certainly not hunger, and the one who believes in me will certainly never thirst
τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκέν μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ (John 6:39)
This is the will of the one who sent me, that I might not lose anything which he has given me from him
ὃς γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, οὗτος ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἀδελφὴ καὶ μήτηρ ἐστίν (Mark 3:35)
For it is whoever would do God’s will that is my brother, sister, and mother
Πῶς οὖν ἐπικαλέσωνται εἰς ὃν οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν; πῶς δὲ πιστεύσωσιν οὗ οὐκ ἤκουσαν; πῶς δὲ ἀκούσωσιν χωρὶς κηρύσσοντος; (Rom 10:14)
How then can they call on whom they have not believed in? And how can they believe in whom they have not heard of? And how can they hear without a preacher?
The construction οὐ μή is used for when the speaker is expressing that his or her knowledge is certain that some eventuality will not occur. The example in John 6:39 was introduced in (Semantics D). Modal nouns, as well as modal verbs, can take ἵνα + subjunctive as a complement. Relative clauses may be modal when they refer to inspecific people, as does the example in Mark 3:35 which refers to whoever would do God’s will. This use is most often found with the regular relative pronoun and ἄν, though it is also found with ὃς ἐάν (Mark 8:35), ὅσος ἄν (Luke 9:5), ὅστις (Matt 12:50), ὅστις ἄν (Matt 10:33), and ὅστις ἐάν (Gal 5:10). Finally, although deontic modality (having to do with one’s obligations) is most common in questions with the subjunctive, Rom 10:14 demonstrates that ability modals are also possible, since the set of rhetorical questions must be referring to what someone is capable of doing and not what someone should do. These uses can all receive a modal analysis, which is in line with how we have described the subjunctive (see Semantics D for a more thorough discussion).
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New Testament text shown on hover: Greek from the SBLGNT, © 2010 Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0; English from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain).