[B-Greek] Indicative or Hortatory Subjunctive?

Michael Lawson dikaiosune_7 at msn.com
Sat Aug 23 00:08:00 EDT 2008


Hello List, 

I have a question about an exercise in J. Gresham Machen's "New Testament Greek for Beginners" concerning contract verbs. The example exercise is as follows:

ἀγαπῶμεν τὸν θεὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν ἀγαπῶντες καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς. 

AGAPW~MEN TON QEON EN TAIS KARDIAIS HMWN AGAPWNTES KAI TOUS ADELFOUS.

In the study guide for Machen, David Thompson asks, "Is AGAPW~MEN indicative or subjunctive?" My Answer: It can be both since the vowels for each case contract to omega with a circumflex accent. He further asks, "How would you settle the question here (whether the verb is indicative or subjunctive)?" My question: How does Thompson come to conclude that this verb is a hortatory subjunctive only? Is not an alternative translation using the present indicative for the verb worth mentioning? 

"Thompson's translation is: "Let us love (in continuing sense) God with/in our hearts, while loving (while we love) the brethren also." 

My Translation: "We love God in our hearts as we love the brethren also."

Am I missing something? Thanks for your replies in advance. 

Michael Lawson


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