John 13:34 - A hINA Clause with the force of an imperative?

From: Bret Hicks (bret@ratedg.com)
Date: Wed Dec 22 1999 - 14:52:27 EST


Fellow B-greekers,

    I am studying John 13:34-35 this week and I am a little confused by
the hINA clause in the second part of the verse. It reads:

KAQWS HGAPHSA hUMAS hINA KAI hUMEIS AGAPATE ALLHLOUS

My question regards the force of the hINA clause. Normally they would
indicate purpose or result. In that case, the meaning would seem to be:

"just as I have loved you, in order that you might love one another."

    In researching this, I noted that Brooks and Winbery (page 124) note
that hINA clauses can act as imperative clauses, which seems to be how
the NIV reads the cluase, since they translate it as "as I have loved
you, so you must love one another." This also seems to be how a similar
clause is used in John 15:12.

    How often are hINA clauses used with the force of an imperative? Is
this a case of a hINA clause being used with the force of an imperative,
or is it better to read it as a purpose/result statement? Any help
would be greatly appreciated!

In Christ,

Bret A. Hicks
Pastor,
Bay Ridge Christian Church

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