hOTAN + subjunctive vs. hOtE + future indicative

Steven Lo Vullo slovullo at mac.com
Wed Apr 24 19:05:36 EDT 2002


on 4/24/02 2:43 PM, Rob's SoftHome at united_by_truth at softhome.net wrote:

> In going over my daughter's translation assignment from Dr. Powers' book, I
> noticed hOTAN + aorist subjunctive. In my mind I attach some degree of
> uncertainty with the subjunctive and wondered if the speaker was expressing
> some slight degree of doubt. In looking at several instances of this
> construction, I do find some where absolute future prediction is not the
> case (Mat. 5:11 for example), but it seems that many if not most indicate no
> uncertainly. hOTAN + indicative seems much less common (Titus 3.12). hOTE +
> indicative future also seems much less common (Luke 17.22).
> 
> Is there any difference in certainly between the above mentioned
> constructions?
> Luke 23.42 ...MNHSQHTI MOU ... hOTAN ELQHiS EN THi BASILEIAi SOU
> Luke 17.22 ...ELEUSONTAI hHMEPAI hOTE EPIQUMHSETE MIAN TWN hHMERWN TOU hUIOU
> TOU ANQRWPOU IDEIN
> Titus 3.12  hOTAN PEMYW ARTEMAN PROS SE H TUCIKON  (PEMYW could also be a
> subjunctive, could it not?)

Hi Rob:

I think some of the early definitions we are given for some of the moods end
up hindering us rather than helping. When I first learned the subjunctive
mood, I was told it was the mood of uncertainty but probability. I suppose
that's OK with much additional explanation, but I think most people end up
assuming that when they see a subjunctive verb, they should view it as
representing the verbal action as uncertain. I think, though, that this is
overly simplistic and bound to cause confusion. I know it did for me.

As for Luke 23.42, though the speaker may have been uncertain of the event
of which he spoke, hOTAN plus the subjunctive does not convey this. The idea
here is not that the event was uncertain, or even that the speaker was
uncertain of the event; the contingency lies in the timing of the event.
What is uncertain is *when* exactly Jesus will come in his kingdom, which is
something the thief on the cross could not know. To bring this out in rough
English translation, we could perhaps say, "Jesus, whenever it is that you
come in your kingdom, remember me."

The difference between Luke 23.42 and Luke 17.22, IMO, is that Luke 17.22
expresses a prophetic utterance of a future event, which is aptly conveyed
by the future tense verb and hOTE. Luke 23.42 is a plea (MNHSQHTI MOU
hOTAN); Luke 17.22 is a prophecy (ELEUSONTAI hHMERAI hOTE).

Finally, I think PEMYW in Tit 3.12 is an aorist subjunctive. HTH
============

Steven Lo Vullo
Madison, WI
slovullo at mac.com
   




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