The Usage of Negatives in the New
Testament. This Is Appendix
105 From The Companion Bible.
There are two principal negatives used in the
New Testament, all others being combinations of one or other of these with
other particles.
- ou (before a vowel ouk ; before an
aspirated vowel ouch) = no, not; expressing full and
direct negation, independently and absolutely; not depending on any
condition expressed or implied.
(a)
ouchi, a strengthened form, often used in questions.
- me = no, not; expressing conditional negation,
depending on feeling, or on some idea, conception, or
hypothesis.
- Hence, ou is objective.
- me is subjective.
- ou denies a matter of fact.
- me denies a matter of feeling.
- ou denies absolutely.
- me denies conditionally.
- ou negatives an affirmation.
- me negatives a supposition, and prohibits or
forbids.
- ou is generally used with the Indicative Mood.
- me with the other moods of the verb.
For the
difference, see John 3:18 : "He
that believeth on Him is not (ou) condemned : but he that
believeth not (me, supposing such a case) is condemned
already, because he hath not (me) believed (according to
the supposition made)".
See also Matthew 22: 29 : "Ye do
err, not knowing the Scriptures". Had the negative
here been "ou" it would imply the fact that
they did not know, because of not possessing them. But it is
"me", implying the feeling; they did not
wish to know.
The same distinctions apply to all the compounds of ou
and me respectively.
- ou me. The two negatives when combined lose their
distinctive meanings, and form the strongest and most emphatic
asseveration; but, solemn and strong as it is, whenever it was used by a
human being the result always belied it, and the speaker never made it
good :-
Matthew
16:22. Peter said,
"This shall not be unto Thee". (But it was)
Matthew 26:35. Peter said,
"I will not deny Thee". (But he did)
John 11:56. Some said,
"What think ye, that He will not come to the
feast?" (But He did) John 13:8. Peter said,
"Thou shalt never wash my feet". (But He
did) John 20:25. Thomas said,
"Except I shall see ... I will not believe".
(But he did)
2. On the other hand, when the Lord used this
solemn asservation it was always absolutely true, and was, or will yet
be made good. It is variously rendered, as a simple negative (as above);
no, not, by no means, in no wise, or in no case, &c.
This expression was used by our Lord on forty-six
separate occasions (omitting the parallel passages, which are placed
within brackets), adding three (Matthew 25: 9. Luke
8:17, and John
16:7), and omitting
two (Matthew 24:2 and Luke
22:34), with the
critical texts. They are as follows, and are all worthy of the closest
attention (see Matthew 5:18; 16:28; 24:34. John
6:37; &c.).
Matthew 5: 18, 20, 26; 10:23, 42; 13:14, 14; 15:6; 16:28 (Mark
9:1; Luke
9:27);
18:3 (Luke
18:17);
23:39; 24:2, 2 (omitted by all,
but retained in Mark 13:2), 21, 34 (Mark
13:30. Luke
21:32), 35 (Mark
13:31. Luke
21:33);
25:9 (added by all);
26:29 (Mark
14:25. Luke
22:18).
Mark 9: 41; 13:2, 2 (omitted in
Matthew 24:2, retained here);
16:18.
Luke 6: 37, 37; 8:-17 (added by most);
10:19; 12:59; 13:35; 18:7, 30; 21:18; 22:16, 34 (omitted by all,
retained in John 13:38), 67, 68.
John 4: 14, 48; 6:35, 35, 37; 8:12, 51, 52; 10:5, 28; 11:26; 13:38 (omitted in Luke
22:34, but retained
here); 16:7 (added by some).
3. The expression ou me is used once
by an angel (Luke 1: 15).
4. Fourteen times by Paul : three in Acts
(13: 41; 28:26, 26), and eleven
times in his Epistles (Romans 4:8. 1 Corinthians
8:13. Galatians
4:30; 5:16. 1 Thessalonians
4:15; 5:3. Hebrews
8:11,
12;
10:17; 13:5, 5).
5. Twice by Peter ( 1 Peter
2:6. 2 Peter
1:10).
6. Sixteen times in the Apocalypse (one being added
in all the critical texts, 9: 6) : Revelation
2:11; 3:3, 5, 12; 9:6; 15:4; 18:7, 14, 21, 22, 22, 22,
23, 23; 21:25, 27.
The occurrences are thus eighty-four in all (twelve sevens). See Appendix 10.
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