Benjamin L. Merkle, "Exegetical Gems"-Part XV-Subjunctive Mood-Chapter 18

In chapter 18 of Exegetical Gems From Biblical Greek, Benjamin Merkle focuses on Hebrew 13:5 and the subjunctive mood. He begins by asking whether the passage from Hebrews is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible and, if so, then why?

While the subjunctive is sometimes used to express uncertain action, Merkle invokes 1 John 2:28 and 1 John 3:2 to show that the subjunctive does not always express uncertain action but might communicate the fact that a time is unknown or indefinite, yet the event could still be certain (80-81). Hence, Merkle prefers to tag the subjunctive mood as indefinite but probable, i.e., the mood of probability (Ibid.).

The subjunctive mood's reference frame is normally the future, but in contrast to the future indicative tense-form, the subjunctive reveals what might occur in the future versus what will transpire. Merkle then lists and gives examples for different uses of the subjunctive like purpose, result, conditional and indefinite relative, to name a few.

Another use of the subjunctive mood is emphatic negation, a usage expressed by the occurrence of two negative particles along with the aorist subjunctive or future indicative. Daniel Wallace points out that there can be no stronger way to negate a statement in Greek than by this usage, which brings us back to Hebrews 13:5.

This verse contains emphatic negation: Ἀφιλάργυρος ὁ τρόπος· ἀρκούμενοι τοῖς παροῦσιν· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἴρηκεν Οὐ μή σε ἀνῶ οὐδ' οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω·

Merkle points out that Hebrews 13:5 commingles possibly three biblical texts to convey the idea that a Christian does not need to love money because the covenant-keeping God promises to never abandon his people: he will sustain those who rely on him.

Exegetical Gems contends that this passage is one of the strongest found in Scripture because it contains five negatives--this feature emphasizes the certainty of what is promised. On pages 82-83, Merkle concludes the chapter by discussing and quoting Charles Spurgeon, a well-known theologian who apparently was self-taught in Greek but evidently had no academic training in the subject. Spurgeon summed up Hebrews 13:5 in a sermon with the title "Never! Never! Never! Never! Never!" In other words, the God of the covenant (Jehovah) will never leave those who trust in him.