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CONDITIONAL CLAUSES: In Grammar, a "Condition" refers to a statement in which some action (conclusion) is made dependent on another assumed action (premise). The logical structure of conditions is: "If A is true, then B is true." However, a number of subordinate conjunctions (e.g. whenever, whoever, wherever) can take the place of the "if," and the "then" is often omitted and understood.
A. with PARTICIPLE: The Predicate Circumstantial Participle may be used to express a conditional idea (see under "Circumstantial Participle," p. 11)
θερίσομεν, μὴ ἐκλυόμενοι (Gal 6.9)
We shall reap, if we do not grow weary (under the circumstances of )
B. with FINITE VERBS:
1. Condition of Fact Expresses an actual or real condition in present, past, or, more rarely, future time; the indicative mood is used to show that what the author/speaker states in the premise is assumed to be true or to agree with reality. In certain contexts, such an assumption may be used for emphasis or for ironic effect.
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εἰ + Indicative in Premise |
This type is also called: a) Present, Past, or Future Particular Condit., depending on tense of verb in Conclusion b) Future Most Vivid Condition |
εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια εἶπον ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς ... πιστεύσετε; (J 3.12)
If I have told you earthly things, and you do not believe (and both are true), how will you believe..
εἰ οὕτως ὁ θεὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς, ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ἀλλήλους ἀγαπᾶν
If God so loved us (and God did), then we ought to love one another (1 J 4.11)
εἰ ἀπεθάνομεν σὺν Χριστῷ, πιστεύομεν ὅτι καὶ συζήσομεν αὐτῷ
If we have died with Christ (and we have), then we continue to believe that we will also live with him (Rom 6.8)
εἴ τις εὐαγγελίζεται παρ ᾿ ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω
If anyone is preaching (and I assume they are)contrary to what you received, let that person be damned. (Gal 1.9)
εἰ δὲ πνεύματι ἄγεσθε, οὔκ ἐστε ὑπὸ νόμον (Gal 5.18)
If you are being led by the Spirit (and you are), then you are not under the law
εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται
If you are the Son of God (and of course you are!), then command these stones to become bread (Mt 4.3)
εἶ σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων, σῶσον σεαυτὸν (Lk 23.37)
If you are the king of the Jews (and of course you are!), then save yourself
2. Condition of Uncertainty (General Contingency) Use of the Subjunctive Mood in conditional clauses shows that the assumptions of the condition are "up in the air" or left in doubt as far as their fulfillment or reality. Such clauses thus refer only to future or contingent realities. This is the most common type of condition in the NT; since English cannot conveniently distinguish between Indicative and Subjunctive moods, it is the type of almost all conditions in English.
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ἄν + Subjunctive in Premise
Various Introductory Words: |
This type is also called: a) Present General: "ἄν + Subj., Present Indic" b) Fut. Less Viviv: "ἄν + Subj., Future Indic" c) Relative Condit: "ἄν + Subj., Pres or Fut Indic" |
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εἰ is usually contracted to ἐάν (= εἰ ἄν) = if κἄν (= καὶ ἐάν) = even if |
ὅταν (= ὅτε ἄν) = whenever ὅς ἄν = whoever ὅσα ἄν = as many as |
πῶς ἐὰν εἴπω ὑμῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια πιστεύσετε;
How, if I tell you heavenly things, will you believe? (J 3.12)
ἐὰν μὴ πιστεύσητε, ἀποθανεῖσθε
If you do not believe, you will die (J 8.24)
ἐὰν μόνον ἅψωμαι τοῦ ἱματίου αὐτοῦ, σωθήσομαι
If only I touch his garment, I will be healed (Mt 9.21)
ὃ τι ἂν λέγῃ ὑμῖν, ποιήσατε
Whatver he says to you, do (it) (J 2.5)
ἐφ ᾿ ὃν ἂν ἴδῇς τὸ πνεῦμα καταβαῖνον... οὗτος ἔστιν ὁ βαπτίζων (J 1.33)
On whomever you see the spirit descending..., this is the one who baptizes...
ὅταν λαλῇ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων λαλεῖ (J 8.44)
Whenever he speaks falsehood, he is speaking from his own resources
3. Condition Contrary to Fact When a Past Tense (thus also Indicative) verb is used in both the premise and the conclusion of a conditional statement, this shows that the assumptions of the author/speaker are Contrary to Reality.
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In Premise: AND |
In Conclusion: (the ἄν is often omitted) |
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εἰ + Past Tense Indicative , |
ἄν + Past Tense Indicative |
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Greek Verb: |
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English Translation: |
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Refers to Present Time Reality |
"If you were..., you would be ...." |
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Refers to Past Time Reality |
"If you had been..., you would have..." |
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εἰ ᾔδεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ... σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν...
If you knew (had known) the gift of God... you would have asked and he would have given... (J 4.10)
εἰ ὁ θεὸς πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἦν, ἠγαπᾶτε ἂν ἐμέ
If God were your father, you would love me (J 8.42)
εἰ τυφλοὶ ἦτε, οὐκ ἂν εἴχετε ἁμαρτίαν
If you were blind, you would not possess sin (J 9.41)
κύριε, εἰ ἦς ὧδε, οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός μου
Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died (J 11.21)
![Line Callout 4: **Because the verb "to be" in Greek only occurs in the Imperfect (linear) in the past, it must be used for both Present and Past Time references in Contrary to Fact Conditions. The correct time frame must be interpreted from the narrative context (usually from other verb[s] used in the condition).](GNotesConditions_files/image008.gif)
