In John 10:28, a favorite proof-text for advocates of eternal security/perseverance of the saints, we read:
And I give unto them eternal life; and
they shall never (ου μη) perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand.
According
to some apologists for this doctrine, the use of the double negative ου μη
means that it is impossible for something to happen, in this instance, for a
true believer to lose their salvation. (See
Robert Gagnon’s refutation of this as a valid prooftext for OSAS)
When
one examines the use of ου μη in the LXX and Greek NT, one finds this is not
always the case; often, there are contingencies, implicit of explicit, attached
to the promises/statements that contain this construction. Note the other
instances of ου μη in the Gospel of John:
But whosoever drinketh of the water
that I shall give him shall never (ου
μη) thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see
signs and wonders, ye will not (ου
μη) believe. (John 4:48)
And Jesus said unto them, I am the
bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never (ου μη) hunger; and
that that believeth on me shall ever (ου
μη) thirst. (John 6:35)
All that the Father giveth me shall
come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise (ου μη) cast out. (John
6:37)
Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world: that that followeth me shall not (ου μη) walk in
darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a
man keep my saying, he shall never (ου
μη) see death. (John 8:51)
Then said the Jews unto him, Now we
know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou
sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never (ου μη) taste of death.
(John 8:52)
And a stranger will they not (ου μη) follow, but
will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (John 10:5)
And whosoever liveth and believeth in
me shall never (ου μη) die. Believest thou this? (John 11:26)
Then sought they for Jesus, and spake
among themselves, as they stood in the temple. What think ye, that he will not
(ου μη) come to the
feast? (John 11:56)
Peter saith unto him, Thou shall never
(ου μη) wash my feet.
Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. (John 13:8)
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down
thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not (ου μη) crow, till thou
hast denied me. (John 13:38)
Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy
sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not (ου μη) drink it? (John
18:11)
The other disciples therefore said
unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in
his hands the print of his nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails,
and thrust my hand into his side, I will not (ου μη) believe.
(John 20:25)
There
are no instances of this construction in the Johannine Epistles. It does appear
16 times in 13 verses in the book of Revelation:
He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not (ου μη) be hurt of the
second death. (Rev 2:11)
Remember therefore how thou hast
received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not
watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not (ου μη) know that hour
I will come upon thee. (Rev 3:3)
He that overcometh, the same shall be
clothed in white raiment; and I will not (ου μη) blot out his
name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before the Father,
and before his angels. (Rev 3:5)
Him that overcometh will I make a
pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more (ου μη) out: and I will
write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is
new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will rite
upon him my new name. (Rev 3:12)
And in those days shall men seek
death, and shall not (ου μη) find it; and shall desire to die, and death
shall flee from them.
Who shall not (ου μη) fear thee, O
Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come
and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Rev 15:4)
How much she hath glorified herself,
and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in
her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no (ου μη) sorrow. (Rev
18:7)
And the fruits that thy soul lusted
after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are
departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more (ου μη) at all. (Rev
18:14)
And a mighty angel took up a stone
like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence
shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more (ου μη) at all. (Rev
18:21)
And the voice of harpers, and
musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more (ου μη) at all in thee;
and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more (ου μη) in thee; and
the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more (ου μη) at all in thee.
(Rev 18:22)
And the light of a candle shall shine
no more (ου μη) at all in thee; and the voice of the
bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more (ου μη) at all in thee:
for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were
all nations deceived. (Rev 18:23)
And the gates of it shall not be shut
at all by day: for there shall be no (ου
μη) night there. (Rev 21:25)
And there shall in no (ου μη) wise enter into
it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a
lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Rev 21:27)