Explaining the Greek Verb System

Paul Schmehl pschmehl at sbcglobal.net
Mon Jun 3 16:06:33 EDT 2002


I find your comments fascinating.  Personally, I attempted to learn Greek on
my own in order that I might read the NT without the "prism" of the
translators' mind.  Eventually I decided to enroll in a one semester course
of koine Greek, but I wasn't satisfied with that because I felt there was
too much theological overtone to much of the vocabulary.  So, completely on
my own, I decided that I needed exposure to Attic Greek to "offset" the
biases I was encountering in my study of koine, and I enrolled in two
semesters of Attic Greek.

I think the experience has certainly taught me to view with skepticism much
of the elaboration of detail that takes place in the exposition of certain
NT texts.  I especially appreciate comments such as Carl makes when
confronted with the apparently "standard" definitions for many words (e.g.
AGAPE vs. FILEO.)  I agree that a focus on only the NT and its Greek is too
narrow and can lead one to misunderstanding.

Paul Schmehl pauls at utdallas.edu
pschmehl at sbcglobal.net
http://www.utdallas.edu/~pauls/

----- Original Message -----
From: <schulc at cuaa.edu>
To: "Biblical Greek" <b-greek at franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 3:18 AM
Subject: [b-greek] Re: Explaining the Greek Verb System


> Friends,
> Perhaps I should rename this thread. I think the topic has shifted to
"where to
> begin teaching Greek." I arrived at a university where I had started 14
years
> ago by learning classical Greek and I found that they had reverted to
beginning
> with Koine. I'm switching it back this year. I have found the recent
arguments
> in this thread for and against this decision very interesting.




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