B-Greek What is meant by "DELIBERATIVE QUESTIONS"

clayton stirling bartholomew c.s.bartholomew at worldnet.att.net
Mon Oct 30 21:37:04 EST 2000


on 10/30/00 12:49 PM, Sylvia Schmitz wrote:

> Dear B-Greekers,
> 
> in my studies of "New Testament Greek for Beginners" by Prof. J. Gresham
> Machen I came across the term "Deliberative Questions", but I didnot get any
> clue what this term means.

Sylvia, 

Machen defines the term on page 172, #394.

"The subjunctive is used in deliberative questions. A deliberative question
is a question that expects an answer in the imperative mood. "

I wasn't thrilled with Machen's examples so I went looking elsewhere. E.V.N.
Goetchius (Language of the NT, Page 269 #345) has the following to say:

"The Deliberative Subjunctive. The subjunctive (usually the aorist) or the
future indicative may be used in deliberative questions, i.e., questions of
possibility, desirability, or necessity, rather than questions of fact."

Goetchius gives the following examples from the GNT:

LK 3:10 TI OUN POIHSWMEN;

LK 11:5 TIS EX hUMWN hEXEI FILON . . .KAI EPIHi AUTOi . . .

LK 22:9 POU QELEIS hETOIMASWMEN;

MT 23:39 OU MH ME IDHTE AP' ARTI.

As you can see, Goetchius'  explanation of the issue is somewhat broader
than Machen's. Goetchius explanation does not fit the "must be answered by
the imperative mood" requirement of Machen's.

Clay 


--  
Clayton Stirling Bartholomew
Three Tree Point
P.O. Box 255 Seahurst WA 98062





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