The Classification of Optatives: a Statistical Study*

THE student who comes to NT Greek from a Classical Greek background notices some differences in vocabulary, i.e., old words with new meanings and new words, slight differences in spelling, and some unfamiliar forms of inflection. But in syntax he is on familiar ground, except that it seems easier. He may hardly notice one of the major differences until it is called to his attention, and then it becomes the greatest surprise of all: the optative mood. Its surprise, however, is not that it is used differently or strangely; it just is not used much. Many of the old optative functions, particularly its use in subordinate clauses after a secondary tense, seemingly do not occur at all in the NT. On the other hand, the optatives which do occur follow the old patterns rather closely. What changes do occur are in the direction of greater simplicity. Grammarians have pointed out that "the optative was a luxury of the language and was probably never common in the vernacular. . .