Verb – Imperative: all parts

SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Imperative (1 – command)

When used as a command, imperatives are a way for the speaker to put an obligation on the addressee to do something. The obligation takes effect immediately, right when the speaker utters the imperative, but the time when the addressee is required to complete the action may vary depending on the nature of the command:

In John 4:31, the disciples are placing Jesus under an obligation to eat, and they are saying that he should eat now. In the latter example, the disciples are immediately under an obligation to do as Jesus instructed them to do, but they won’t fulfill this command until certain conditions are met.

Because Greek imperatives are marked for aspect, there is a difference in meaning between Luo imperatives and the Aorist. The basic distinction is that the Aorist represents a single event and the Luo represents multiple events. We can see this in the two examples given previously. In John 4:31, the command of the disciples for Jesus to eat is for him to eat a specific meal in front of him. On the other hand, the command in Luke 10:8 is for the disciples to eat whenever they are in a particular situation. This is not a single event of eating, but it involves eating at all the relevant time periods.

fromLesson 22.1: Verb – Luo/Aorist active imperative

SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Imperative (2 – Requests; 3 – Suggestions)

Imperatives across languages are used for a much broader range of functions than giving commands, and Greek imperatives are no different. To illustrate, imperatives can be used by someone of a lower social ranking to make a request rather than to give a command:

fromLesson 38.3: Verb – Middle imperative

SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Imperative (4 – Wish)

We have seen that the interpretation of an imperative is often dependent upon the relative social ranking of the speaker and addressee (38.3.3.2). Depending on whether the speaker is more authoritative or less, an imperative can be interpreted as a command, suggestion, or request. In addition to this, it may also be used to refer to a wish where the speaker is not expecting the addressee to do anything.

This is not a command, suggestion, or request for the brother and sister to do something. Rather, the imperative here reflects a wish of the speaker, which is, in this case, not what true faith looks like according to James.

fromLesson 39.3: Verb – Efagon middle and passive imperative

SemanticsSemantics: Verb – Imperative (6 – Effective)

The uses of the imperative discussed so far have involved someone doing the action expressed by the verb, though what is to be done can be interpreted as a command, request, or suggestion. At other times, the imperative does not describe something to be done but something that should be done by someone else or a wish of the speaker. These uses are commonly found with middle and passive verbs.

The effective use of the imperative is used to describe something being done by virtue of the utterance:

Jesus goes on to say that this will happen for the person who believes and does not doubt. The previous verse speaks of ‘believing God’, so it seems that God is the one who would do this, even though the mountain is the one being “addressed.” Although God is not told to pick up the mountain and throw it, he is understood as the implied agent of the lifting and throwing events.

fromLesson 45.2: Verb – 3rd person middle & passive imperative