We all know that we have some and frequently despise them when we hear others "ranting and raving" about something. One of mine is the "importance of biblical languages" for the pastoral office, expositor's of God's word, scholarship, etc.
Over the years, I have spent numerous hours attempting to gain further insight in grammar and translation. It was something I made a priority in my studies, so much so, that it sometimes impeded my theological development.
I have a few questions for you guys if you wouldn't mind humoring me for a bit.
1. What are reasons seminaries should/shouldn't make "Biblical Languages" a priority.
2. In the heat of ministry, what are problems that you have found within the realm of "biblical languages."
3. How are the biblical languages apart of your current life?
4. What resources would currently help you in your local church ministry to maintain language studies? Or is that not a focus?
5. If you had a disciplee desiring ministry and you began to train him in Biblical languages, not necessarily methodology, but how would you cultivate the necessity of Biblical Languages?
6. What are some good articles, quotes, statements, etc. you have found on the "why's" of knowing the biblical languages.
Some resources:
John Piper, "Brothers, Bitzer was a Banker," in Brothers, We are not Professionals.
Martin Luther stated the following: "Let us be sure of this: we will not long preserve the gospel without the languages. The languages are the sheath in which this sword of the Spirit [Eph. 6:17] is contained; they are the casket in which this jewel is enshrined; they are the vessel in which this wine is held; they are the larder in which this food is stored. . . . If through our neglect we let the languages go (which God forbid!), we shall . . . lose the gospel." (From http://thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/the_profit_of_employing_the_biblical_languages_scriptural_and_historic)
John Piper, Legacy of Sovereign Joy.
I think it is so important to know and use the OG languages, I am just so horrible at it (especially syntax! Ugh!) Here are my answers:
ReplyDelete1. Original languages should be a priority because without knowing what God said we can never say what God said. Besides, we trust other solid men but we must come face to face with the text and arrive at conclusions ourselves. I fall back on MacArthur a lot but I must be able to see it for myself in the text. Seminaries must emphasize this.
2. Decision making. THere is another Sunday coming and I need to decide what the nuance of the word is for this text. If i had all the time in the world, I would be fine (I also would never decide)
3. As I am going through Philippians, each Monday I print out a copy of the portion I am studying. I do some spot observations and then go to Logos to fill in, in pen, the parsing and definitions. This gets me acquainted with the text in Greek. I like writing on paper as opposed to computer. From there i can intelligibly interact with commentaries.
4. More classes and a partner to work with.
5. Good question.
6. I have heard it said, "To become an absolute master at any skill, you must be willing to invest 10,000 hours." Check out Jim Hamilton's blog on this- http://jimhamilton.info/2011/11/22/do-you-want-to-master-the-biblical-languages/
Denny Burk gives a plan for reading through the Greek NT in one year- http://www.dennyburk.com/read-the-greek-new-testament-in-one-year/
Logos has Free Greek and Hebrew Paradigm Charts
http://blog.logos.com/2010/04/free_greek_and_hebrew_paradigm_charts/
A guy named Matt Harmon wrote a post called Maintaining Your Greek-
http://bibtheo.blogspot.com/2007/04/maintaining-your-greek.html
1. Put your Greek to use in teaching and preaching.
2. Set aside time to read from your Greek NT at least once a week.
3. Review your vocabulary.
4. Work through Colossians .
5. Check out the blog Hellenisti Ginoskeis: Do you Know Greek?
6. Team up with someone else.
"Given how much time people in seminary spend learning the Biblical languages, it is poor stewardship to let them slip away to the point where one cannot use them."
Thanks Andrew for the resources!
ReplyDeleteI also found Con Campbell's work "Keep Your Greek"
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Your-Greek-Strategies-People/dp/0310329078/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333579853&sr=8-2
In this he tells people to spend 15–30 minutes a day: reading your sermon passage, reading through a book, vocab and parsing.
One thing it is lacking in is how to stay up on syntax. However, constant reading of the language will naturally produce a broader understanding of syntax.