"Why study Greek?"

Steven Craig Miller scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Sat Dec 11 22:40:28 EST 1999


To: Jayce C. Edwards, Jim West, Clayton Stirling Bartholomew, Kevin P. 
Edgecomb, Kevin W. Woodruff, William Boyd, Theodore H. Mann, Paul Dixon, et 
al.,

JW: << Because if one cannot read the Bible in its original languages one 
can never really interpret or exegete it. One is always dependent on what 
someone else has thought or conceived or understood a passage to say. One 
cannot consider oneself an interpreter of the Bible unless one knows the 
languages- one is merely a parrot of what someone else has said. >>

Throughout most of Christian history, to be an independent interpreter of 
scripture is to be a (so-called) "heretic." I presume that you wouldn't 
concur with such a definition.

KWW: << 3. My practical reason for studying Greek: To be able to find out 
why English versions differ. >>

I like that one too!

THM: << ... you should study the language because you love doing it. It's 
great fun! >>

That's probably the best reason yet! One is certainly not going to stick 
with it if one doesn't take some joy in ... (what was that expression) ... 
"dabbling" in Greek.

PD: << Well, a fellow student and I at Dallas Seminary years ago (1971) 
made a covenant between us to be diligent in the study of the Greek for the 
rest of our lives. ... Sadly, the other guy has since reneged. I have not. >>

I don't know how everyone else (who is not teaching Greek at school) 
disciplines themselves so as to keep up with their language skills and 
studies, I have been fortunate to have a pastor who has similar interests 
as I. We meet almost once each week to read the Greek NT together (not 
counting adult Sunday school class). We've been doing this for over ten 
years now. And just as I'm fortunate to have a pastor who takes Greek 
studies seriously, I would guess that not every parish has an ex-Classics 
student, who is able to pop in to read Greek during the work week. (And all 
you pastors can just thank your lucky stars [or whatever, or whoever, you 
wish to thank] that I'm not in your parish! <g>)

-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller at www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree), 
what do I know?"




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