Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when your pastor prepares a sermon? Do you know the difference between the fancy words exegesis and exposition? Exegesis is what a pastor does in his study. Exposition is what a pastor does with his exegesis in the pulpit.
Here is a brief exegesis lesson to show why it is helpful (but not required) for a pastor to recognize Greek verb moods while preparing an expository sermon. Greek verbs always have a mood which communicates the author’s point of view about the action being performed. For example, an indicative mood communicates that the author believes an action is certain or factual. A subjunctive mood indicates the author believes an action is probable, or that he strongly desires the action to take place.
Here is a practical example of how this knowledge can be helpful in expository preaching. Consider how these three English translations translate Romans 9:15:
- ESV Romans 9:15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
- KJV Romans 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
- NASB Romans 9:15 For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.”
The ESV and NASB are the same, apart from the NASB capitalizing the OT quote. The KJV differs only by adding “will” to the second verb of each clause in Paul’s quote.
Which translation is most accurate, and does it matter? This is where understanding Greek verb moods can be helpful. Using the ESV version as a reference, the Greek verb for “I will have mercy” is first person singular future indicative and the Greek verb for “I have mercy” is first person singular present subjunctive. The same pattern is true for “I will have compassion” and “I have compassion.” Since God is God, anything that He says is certain and factual, but by expressing the second clause with a subjunctive present verb, He is expressing a nuance that is best translated this way: “I will have mercy on whom I desire to have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I desire to have compassion.”
Neither English translation perfectly communicates the subjunctive verbs. The ESV and NASB correctly translate the verbs present tense, but the subjunctive mood is not apparent. Sometimes an author will use a present subjunctive verb to communicate a future action in a more nuanced way. This is likely why the KJV authors added “will” to the second verb of each clause—to translate it into future tense. However, the KJV is also inadequate because it does not communicate the nuance between the first and second verbal clauses. Neither of these three translations completely communicate authorial intent.
This example illustrates how a lot of work can occur in the study for an expository preacher to say in about 5 seconds from the pulpit, “Vs. 15 could be translated, ‘I will have mercy on whom I desire to have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I desire to have compassion.'” However, this clarification emphasizes God’s desire (or will) over man’s desire, which is especially important because of the next verse. Vs. 16 reads (NASB), “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Vs. 16 provides a second contextual indicator that vs. 15 includes the concept of God’s desire or will. Further, vs. 18 provides a third contextual indicator: “So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”
Taken collectively, it becomes apparent that the main theme of Romans 9:14-18 is Paul asserting God’s desire to have mercy on some and to harden others in response to false accusations of God’s injustice in His purpose of election. The subjunctive verbs of vs. 15 show that the Holy Spirit through Paul emphasizes God’s desires over man’s desires throughout this section. A keen expositor will recognize vs. 14-18 as a single thought unit and might organize his sermon around this main theme. Even vs. 19, which begins a new Pauline thought, carries the emphasis of God’s desire (or will) into the new section: “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” Organizing a sermon around a single main theme promotes clarity and brevity, which will enhance a listener’s ability to follow along and identify the repeated theme of God’s sovereign desire in their own Bible. Often, these types of expository gems are first uncovered while performing exegesis in the study.