[B-Greek] Ambiguity and the Greek subjunctive.

Barry nebarry at verizon.net
Fri Jan 16 20:09:00 EST 2009


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Benjamin Griffiths" <jamino at gmail.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 4:53 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Ambiguity and the Greek subjunctive.


Commentaria passim:

> I  was recently asked a question about the use of the word 'might' or 'may
> in some translations of certain NT texts. Specifically in relation to
> Ephesians 6:13 and Hebrews 2:14. The very nature of the grammatical term
> subjunctive in most languages (and as far as I am aware in Greek too),
> expresses the idea of uncertainty or doubt, which is then conveyed with
> words 'might' and 'may' or other expressions in English, which equally
> carry
> some doubt.

I certainly wouldn't characterize it that way.  The subjunctive (and
optative) is used of a variety of actions which are not, in the logic of the
grammar, confirmable until they actually take place - or better yet, 
contingent in some sense on certain conditions taking place, either 
expressed or implied, in the immediate context.  Any decent grammar will 
discuss this, and a great deal of time on this list has been taken up
in discussions of just this very nature.

> Is Paul really saying using "ἵνα δυνηθῆτε / hINA  DUNHTHTE" in Ephesians
> that wearing the armour of God may just perhaps help one to stand or is
> there something more concrete.
>
> Ephesians 6:13: διὰ τοῦτο ἀναλάβετε τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα δυνηθῆτε
> ἀντιστῆναι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πονηρᾷ καὶ ἅπαντα κατεργασάμενοι στῆναι
> Ephesians 6:13: DIA TOUTO ANALABETE THN PANOPLIAN TOU QEOU hINA DUNHTHTE
> ANTISTHNAI EN THi hHMERAi THi PONHRAi KAI APANTA KATERGASAMENOI STHNAI.

Let's try a different translation:

"For this reason, take up the full armor of God in order to be able
resist..."

So Paul isn't saying you "may" be able to resist after taking up the armor,
he is saying that ability to resist is the purpose of taking up the armor.

> and in Hebrews 2:14 is the writer saying that Christ's incarnation and
> death
> was perhaps, just maybe, able to nullify death "ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου
> καταργήσῃ / hINA DIA TOU QANATOU KATARGHSHi", rather than certainly aiming
> for that result?

It's the same thing, mutatis mutandis.  "in order to nullify death" is the 
purpose of the main clause's action.

It's just that when we translate the pruposes clauses as "that" clauses in 
English, we use may or might, the modal expressing not doubt or uncertainty, 
but the fact that the action expressed is the purpose of the action 
expressed in the main clause.

N.E. Barry Hofstetter

Fecisti nos ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum, donec requiescat in te...
    -- Augustine, Confessions 1:1

http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry/
http://my.opera.com/BarryHofstetter/blog/ 




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