Biblical Scholars: Are there any other examples of the Imperative tense in Greek in Scripture other than the Great Commission at Mt 28:19-20?

[PRmerger]

So I’m in a discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness on another thread in which the JW claims that all other teachings are secondary to the “Great Commission” in Mt 28:19-20. That is, preaching is the most important thing Christ commanded us to do.

Naturally, as a Catholic I take issue with the primacy that is given to the Great Commission by the JWs.

The JW poster claims that because the word rendered “make disciples” is in the Greek Imperative, that gives it primacy over all the other commands and exhortations of Christ.

I asked if there were any other examples of the use of the Greek Imperative tense in Scripture, but am not getting any response.

It would seem obvious that there *must *be other examples of the Imperative tense in Scripture, but I am not a Biblical scholar, so I am opening up this thread in the hopes of enlightenment!

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

So I’m in a discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness on another thread in which the JW claims that all other teachings are secondary to the “Great Commission” in Mt 28:19-20. That is, preaching is the most important thing Christ commanded us to do.

Naturally, as a Catholic I take issue with the primacy that is given to the Great Commission by the JWs.

The JW poster claims that because the word rendered “make disciples” is in the Greek Imperative, that gives it primacy over all the other commands and exhortations of Christ.

I asked if there were any other examples of the use of the Greek Imperative tense in Scripture, but am not getting any response.

It would seem obvious that there *must *be other examples of the Imperative tense in Scripture, but I am not a Biblical scholar, so I am opening up this thread in the hopes of enlightenment!

Any number of imperatives:​

• Take
• Eat
• Arise
• Awake, thou that sleepest
• Sleep on now and take your rest
• Crucify him
• Repent
• Be not afraid
• Be silent (literally, “muzzled”)
• Come out of him
• Begone, satan
• Fall on us
• Hide us
• Rejoice/hail Mary
• Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
• Tell no one
• Go and sin no more
• Judge not
• Touch not
• Taste not
• Learn of me
• Take my yoke upon you
• What thou doest, do quickly
• Come, Lord Jesus
• Come to me
• Be of good cheer
• Love one another as I have loved you
• Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God
• See thou do it not
• Remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom
• Rejoice always

• that’s all I can remember without looking: all of the above are in the NT. Some words that seem to be imperatives, may not be; but all the above are imperatives; none of them are doubtful. The expression usually translated “God forbid” is an optative, not an imperative
  Good question: it makes one think.

 

[Dan_Parker]

PRmerger:
So I’m in a discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness on another thread in which the JW claims that all other teachings are secondary to the “Great Commission” in Mt 28:19-20. That is, preaching is the most important thing Christ commanded us to do.
… It would seem obvious that there *must *be other examples of the Imperative tense in Scripture, but I am not a Biblical scholar, so I am opening up this thread in the hopes of enlightenment!

Dan:

Actually, I never made the claim that ALL other teachings are secondary to the Great Commission. My position is that Jesus commands Christians to make disciples with a verb in the imperative mood and that if anyone, including and particularly my interlocutor with the nickname PRmerger, wants to make other utterances of our Lord and Savior Jesus equivalent to this passage he must demonstrate this from the text.

The context of our previous discussion is that Jehovah’s Witnesses consider themselves to be first and foremost ministers and preachers of the gospel and that other secular pursuits are secondary. The claim was made that Jehovah’s Witnesses are against higher education. If education is being pursued for its own sake and when it interferes with Jesus’ command to preach I consider it to be a foolish endeavor. A Christian needs to get sufficient education to support his family and his ministry. If that entails a college degree in some lands, then that is quite alright. However, if it detracts from the Christian’s commission to preach the gospel, then it is a vain pursuit.

And that’s the real story…

Dan

PS Here is a list of all verses in the Westcott Hort Greek text which have a verb in the imperative mood. Please accept this from this uneducated dunce I will leave it up to others to identify WHICH verb is in the imperative!

Matt. 1:20, 23; 2:1, 8f, 13, 19f; 3:2f, 8, 15ff; 4:3, 6, 10f, 17, 19; 5:12, 16, 24f, 29ff, 37, 39ff, 44; 6:1, 3, 6, 9ff, 16f, 19f, 25f, 28, 33; 7:1, 4f, 7, 12f, 15, 23; 8:2ff, 8f, 13, 21f, 24f, 29, 31f, 34; 9:2f, 5f, 9f, 13, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27ff, 32, 38; 10:6ff, 11ff, 16f, 23, 26ff, 31; 11:4, 8, 10, 15, 19, 28f; 12:2, 10, 13, 18, 33, 41f, 46, 49; 13:3, 9, 18, 30, 36, 43; 14:8, 15f, 18, 27ff; 15:4, 10, 14f, 22f, 25, 28; 16:6, 11, 23f; 17:3, 5, 7, 15, 17, 20, 27; 18:8ff, 15ff, 26, 28f; 19:6, 12, 14, 16f, 19, 21, 27; 20:4, 7f, 14, 18, 21, 30f; 21:2, 5, 21, 28, 33, 38; 22:4, 9, 13, 17, 19, 21, 29, 44; 23:3, 26, 32, 34, 38; 24:3f, 6, 15ff, 20, 23, 25f, 32, 42, 44; 25:6, 8f, 11, 13, 20ff, 25, 28, 30, 34, 41; 26:18, 26f, 36, 38f, 41f, 45ff, 51f, 65, 68; 27:22f, 29, 40, 42f, 49, 51, 64f; 28:2, 5ff, 9ff, 13, 19f; Mk. 1:2f, 15, 17, 25, 41, 44; 2:9, 11, 14, 24; 3:3, 5, 32, 34; 4:3, 9, 23f, 39; 5:8, 12, 19, 34, 36, 41; 6:10f, 22, 31, 36ff, 50; 7:10, 14, 27, 29, 34; 8:15, 33f; 9:7, 19, 22, 24f, 39, 43, 45, 47, 50; 10:9, 14, 19, 21, 28, 33, 37, 47ff, 52; 11:2f, 21ff, 29f; 12:7, 15, 17, 29, 36, 38; 13:1, 4f, 7, 9, 11, 14ff, 18, 21, 23, 28f, 33, 35, 37; 14:6, 13ff, 22, 32, 34, 36, 38, 41f, 44, 65; 15:4, 13f, 18, 30, 32, 35f; 16:6f, 15; Lk. 1:13, 20, 28, 30f, 36, 38, 44, 48; 2:10, 25, 34, 48; 3:4, 8, 11, 14; 4:3, 9, 23, 35; 5:4, 8, 10, 12ff, 18, 23f, 27; 6:8, 10, 23, 27ff, 35ff, 42; 7:6ff, 12ff, 22, 25, 27, 34, 37, 40, 50; 8:8, 18, 39, 41, 48ff, 52, 54; 9:3ff, 12ff, 23, 30, 35, 38f, 41, 44, 50, 59ff; 10:2ff, 7ff, 19f, 25, 28, 35, 37, 40; 11:1ff, 7, 9, 31f, 35, 41; 12:1, 4f, 7, 13, 15, 19, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31ff, 35, 39f, 58; 13:7f, 11, 14, 16, 24f, 27, 30ff, 35; 14:2, 9f, 12f, 17ff, 21, 23, 35; 15:6, 9, 12, 19, 21ff, 29; 16:2, 6f, 9, 24f, 29; 17:3, 5ff, 10, 13f, 19, 21, 23, 31f; 18:3, 6, 13, 16, 20, 22, 28, 31, 38f, 42; 19:2, 5, 8, 17, 19f, 24, 27, 30, 39; 20:3, 24f, 42, 46; 21:8, 14, 20f, 28f, 31, 34, 36; 22:8, 10, 12, 17, 19, 21, 26, 31f, 36, 38, 40, 42, 46f, 51, 64, 67f; 23:14f, 18, 21, 28ff, 34f, 37, 39, 42, 50; 24:4, 6, 13, 29, 39, 49; Jn. 1:23, 29, 36, 39, 43, 46f; 2:5, 7f, 16, 19; 3:26; 4:7, 10, 15f, 21, 29, 31, 35, 49f; 5:8, 11f, 14, 28, 45; 6:10, 12, 20, 27, 34, 43; 7:3f, 8, 24, 26, 37, 52; 8:7, 11, 39; 9:7, 11, 21, 23f; 10:24, 37f; 11:3, 34, 36, 39, 43f; 12:7, 15, 19, 26ff, 35f; 13:24, 27, 29; 14:1, 8f, 11, 27, 31; 15:4, 7, 9, 20; 16:24, 29, 32f; 17:1, 5, 11, 17; 18:8, 11, 21, 23, 31; 19:3ff, 14f, 21, 26f; 20:15, 17, 22, 27; 21:6, 10, 12, 15ff, 19, 22; Acts 1:10, 20, 24; 2:7, 14, 22, 34, 36, 38, 40; 3:4, 6, 19; 4:10, 19, 29; 5:8f, 20, 25, 28, 35, 38; 6:3; 7:2f, 33f, 40, 56, 59; 8:19, 22, 24, 26f, 29, 36; 9:6, 10f, 15, 34, 40; 10:5, 13, 15, 17, 19ff, 26, 30, 32; 11:7, 9, 11, 13; 12:7f, 17; 13:2, 11, 15f, 25, 38, 40f, 46; 14:10; 15:13, 29; 16:1, 9, 15, 31, 35ff; 18:9; 19:38; 20:10, 22, 25, 28, 31; 21:14, 23f, 28, 36, 39; 22:1, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21f, 27; 23:11, 15, 17, 23; 24:20, 25; 25:5; 26:16; 27:24f; 28:26, 28; Rom. 3:4; 6:11ff, 19; 9:33; 11:9f, 18, 20, 22; 12:2, 14, 16, 19ff; 13:1, 3f, 7f, 14; 14:1, 3, 5, 13, 15f, 20, 22; 15:2, 7, 10f; 16:3, 5ff; 1 Co. 1:31; 3:10, 18, 21; 4:1, 5, 16; 5:7, 13; 6:9, 18, 20; 7:2f, 5, 9, 11ff, 15, 17f, 20f, 23f, 27, 36; 8:9; 9:24; 10:7, 10, 12, 14f, 18, 24f, 27f, 31f; 11:1, 6, 13, 24f, 28, 33f; 12:31; 14:1, 12f, 20, 26ff, 34f, 37, 39f; 15:33f, 51, 58; 16:1f, 10f, 13f, 18, 20, 22; 2 Co. 5:17, 20; 6:2, 9, 13f, 17; 7:2, 11; 8:11, 24; 10:7, 11, 17; 11:16; 12:13f, 16; 13:5, 11f; Gal. 1:8f, 20; 4:12, 21, 27, 30; 5:1f, 13, 15f; 6:1f, 4, 6f, 11, 17; Eph. 2:11; 4:25ff; 5:1ff, 5ff, 11, 14f, 17f, 25, 33; 6:1f, 4f, 9ff, 13f, 17; Phil. 1:27; 2:2, 5, 12, 14, 18, 29; 3:1f, 17; 4:1, 3ff, 8, 21; Col. 2:6, 8, 16, 18; 3:1f, 5, 8f, 12, 15f, 18ff; 4:1f, 5, 10, 15ff; 1 Thess. 4:18; 5:11, 13ff, 25f; 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:1, 10, 14f; 1 Tim. 2:11; 3:10, 12; 4:7, 11ff; 5:1, 3f, 7, 9, 11, 16f, 19f, 22f; 6:1f, 11f, 17, 20; 2 Tim. 1:8, 13f; 2:1, 3, 7f, 14ff, 19, 22f; 3:1, 5, 14; 4:2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 15, 19, 21; Tit. 1:13; 2:1, 6, 15; 3:1, 9f, 12ff; Phlm. 1:17f, 20, 22; Heb. 1:6, 13; 2:13; 3:1, 12f; 8:5, 8, 11; 10:7, 9, 32; 12:3, 5, 12ff, 17, 25; 13:1ff, 7, 9, 16ff, 22, 24; Jas. 1:4ff, 9, 13, 16, 19, 21f; 2:1, 3, 5, 12, 16, 18; 3:1, 4f, 13f; 4:7ff, 13; 5:1, 4, 7ff, 16, 20; 1 Pet. 1:8, 13, 15, 17, 22; 2:2, 6, 13, 17; 3:3, 10f, 14f; 4:1, 7, 12f, 15f, 19; 5:2, 5f, 8f, 14; 2 Pet. 1:5, 10; 3:8, 14f, 17f; 1 Jn. 2:15, 24, 28; 3:1, 7, 13; 4:1; 5:21; 2 Jn. 1:8, 10; 3 Jn. 1:11, 14; Jude 1:14, 17, 21ff; Rev. 1:7, 11, 17ff; 2:1, 5, 7f, 10ff, 16ff, 22, 25, 29; 3:1ff, 6ff, 11, 13f, 19f, 22; 4:1f; 5:5; 6:1ff, 5, 7f, 16; 7:9; 9:12, 14; 10:4, 8f; 11:1f, 12, 14; 12:3, 12; 13:9, 18; 14:1, 7, 13ff, 18; 16:1, 15; 17:1; 18:4, 6f, 20; 19:5, 9ff, 17; 21:3, 5, 9; 22:7, 9, 11f, 17, 20

 

[PRmerger]

Actually, I never made the claim that ALL other teachings are secondary to the Great Commission.

Does “everything” mean “ALL”, Dan? Because didn’t you write this: *Everything else is secondary to a Christian * (Post #253 in our original thread). Yep, it would seem that you were indeed making the claim that all of the other exhortations, commands, teachings are “secondary” to the “Great” (not “Greatest”, BTW ) Commission. :sad_yes:

 

[Dan_Parker]

Does “everything” mean “ALL”, Dan? Because didn’t you write this: *Everything else is secondary to a Christian * (Post #253 in our original thread). Yep, it would seem that you were indeed making the claim that all of the other exhortations, commands, teachings are “secondary” to the “Great” (not “Greatest”, BTW ) Commission. :sad_yes:

In the context of balancing one’s secular job and the ministry, yes. That was the subject of the post and the purpose of the thread. Of course any isolated sentence can be taken out of context. Since I am here to explain what I meant by that statement (something that would be clear to anyone who wants to read all my posts in context) I hope you take my word for it.

Dan

 

[PRmerger]

In the context of balancing one’s secular job and the ministry, yes. That was the subject of the post and the purpose of the thread. Of course any isolated sentence can be taken out of context. Since I am here to explain what I meant by that statement (something that would be clear to anyone who wants to read all my posts in context) I hope you take my word for it.

Dan

Ok, Dan. I accept your clarification. You are saying that preaching takes precedence for a JW over all other aspects of his daily life, but you are NOT saying that Jesus made preaching a priority over all of his other commands and teachings, yes?

 

[Dan_Parker]

Ok, Dan. I accept your clarification. You are saying that preaching takes precedence for a JW over all other aspects of his daily life, but you are NOT saying that Jesus made preaching a priority over all of his other commands and teachings, yes?

I would say that all of his commands are important, but not all of them are commissions. Jesus certainly made preaching a priority in Matthew 28:19-20 and one cannot substitute some other form of service and ignore this command and still consider that they are obeying Jesus and thus demonstrating their Christianity.

However, this goes a bit beyond our original thread. I was responding to critics of Jehovah’s Witnesses who denigrate us because we do put the preaching work first and foremost in our lives and don’t pursue secular pursuits in a manner that detracts from our ministry.

Dan

PS Would you like me to teach you some Greek?

 

[ryanoneil]

Don’t forget to include baptizing.

 

[Dan_Parker]

Don’t forget to include baptizing.

The word baptizing is a participle in Greek (ie verbal adjective) and is not in the imperative mood. I would consider this participle to be “telic” (ie purpose) or perhaps participle of “result” with the sense that Jesus is commanding Christians to make disciples with the end result of them being baptized.

Dan

 

[PRmerger]

PS Would you like me to teach you some Greek?

Possibly. Are you talking Biblical Greek? Where did you learn? How long have you studied?

 

[ryanoneil]

The word baptizing is a participle in Greek (ie verbal adjective) and is not in the imperative mood. I would consider this participle to be “telic” (ie purpose) or perhaps participle of “result” with the sense that Jesus is commanding Christians to make disciples with the end result of them being baptized.

Dan

I’ve always struggled in english class. Does that mean the end result (baptism) is imperative to Jesus?

 

[Dan_Parker]

I’ve always struggled in english class. Does that mean the end result (baptism) is imperative to Jesus?

Not exactly. In Greek finite verbs have something called “mood.” They are Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative and Opative. Indicative is the mode of “assertion.” Subjunctive is used frequently of something that is probable but uncertain. Opative is not used frequently and it is used when something is presented as “possible.” Imperative is the mood of intention and it is frequently used of a superior to an inferior giving a command.

So Jesus is giving a command to Christians to make disciples.

In Greek a participle is used as a verbal adjective. It modifies the controlling verb, in this case the activity of making disciples. When the participle follows a verb and is found in the present tense form it is frequently modifying the verb to describe the purpose of the action or the end result of the action.

Therefore Jesus commanded Christians to make disciples for the purpose of them becoming baptized or with the result of them being baptized.

Dan

 

[Dan_Parker]

Possibly. Are you talking Biblical Greek? Where did you learn? How long have you studied?

I will never finish studying Greek. It has been about 12 years now. I have studied with individuals and have systematically gone through the same texts that Seminary students use such as Mounce’s Basics of Biblical Greek and Wallace’s Greek grammar beyond the basics.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not promoting myself as an expert. However in my dealings with apologists from other religions who have actually attended Seminary I have never found myself at a disadvantage. The adage “use it or lose it” applies to Koine Greek more so than other disciplines!

Dan

 

[ryanoneil]

Not exactly. In Greek finite verbs have something called “mood.” They are Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative and Opative. Indicative is the mode of “assertion.” Subjunctive is used frequently of something that is probable but uncertain. Opative is not used frequently and it is used when something is presented as “possible.” Imperative is the mood of intention and it is frequently used of a superior to an inferior giving a command.

So Jesus is giving a command to Christians to make disciples.

In Greek a participle is used as a verbal adjective. It modifies the controlling verb, in this case the activity of making disciples. When the participle follows a verb and is found in the present tense form it is frequently modifying the verb to describe the purpose of the action or the end result of the action.

Therefore Jesus commanded Christians to make disciples for the purpose of them becoming baptized or with the result of them being baptized.

Dan

I’m afraid the grammer aspect is beyond me. How do Christians make people disciples? Do people become disciples after belief? After belief and baptism?

For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal 3:26-27)

Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

 

[Dan_Parker]

I’m afraid the grammer aspect is beyond me. How do Christians make people disciples? Do people become disciples after belief? After belief and baptism?

For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal 3:26-27)

Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)

According to the Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich Greek lexicon the word in this verse has the sense of “2. to cause one to be a pupil, teach”

Dan

 

[ryanoneil]

According to the Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich Greek lexicon the word in this verse has the sense of “2. to cause one to be a pupil, teach”

Dan

Does the text determine what conditions must be met before a person is considered a taught pupil? In other words, is there any way of knowing that Jesus commission is being properly executed?

 

[Dan_Parker]

Does the text determine what conditions must be met before a person is considered a taught pupil? In other words, is there any way of knowing that Jesus commission is being properly executed?

The passage continues by saying that they are taught to observe Jesus commandments. The word observe here means to accept and obey these commands.

NAB Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 1 )And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

If someone is obeying Jesus commands this will be an indication that they were taught and that the commission was properly executed.

I am a firm believer that the bible does interpret itself. In this case it has done an admirable job.

Dan

 

[ryanoneil]

The passage continues by saying that they are taught to observe Jesus commandments. The word observe here means to accept and obey these commands.

If someone is obeying Jesus commands this will be an indication that they were taught and that the commission was properly executed.

I am a firm believer that the bible does interpret itself. In this case it has done an admirable job.

Dan

Doesn’t that necessarily include the baptizing from (Mt 28:19)?

In other words, if they are not being baptized they are not obeying the command of Jesus, and the commision is not being properly executed.

 

[Dan_Parker]

Doesn’t that necessarily include the baptizing from (Mt 28:19)?

In other words, if they are not being baptized they are not obeying the command of Jesus, and the commision is not being properly executed.

Certainly. Do you think I suggested otherwise? What I wrote earlier was the the verb baptize was not in the imperative mood. It is however a result of their being taught and accepting what they have learned and obeying Jesus commandments.

Dan

 

[ryanoneil]

Certainly. Do you think I suggested otherwise? What I wrote earlier was the the verb baptize was not in the imperative mood. It is however a result of their being taught and accepting what they have learned and obeying Jesus commandments.

Dan

Like I said, english class wasn’t my strong suit. I got the impression you were saying the act of baptizing was not part of Jesus’ commission.