[B-Greek] The Heartbreak Hill of the Greek New Testament

McCarthy, Brian S. UTRC McCartBS at UTRCCT.res.utc.com
Mon May 5 17:20:55 EDT 2003


I'm on my third read-through of the Greek New Testament, and I've just
dragged my weary brain over the summit of 2 Corinthians.

Is it just me, or is 2 Corinthians the Heartbreak Hill of reading through
the Greek New Testament?  The first time I read it through, it almost made
me lose confidence and give up.

This morning I read Galatians 1, and what a difference!  I can actually sort
of read this language!  It's all downhill from here till Hebrews.  Even
Hebrews doesn't seem so annoying because it's clearly, even to me, high
literary style right from the first "Polymerously and polytropically..." so
I don't mind it being difficult.

Does anyone know why 2 Corinthians seems so much more difficult than even
the other Pauline letters?  Could it be because Paul is talking in code,
"naming names without naming names, if you know what I mean, wink, wink", so
that everyone in Corinth know just who and what he was talking about in a
way that we (or I, at least) don't?  "Nor do we compare or class ourselves
with those who compare themselves with themselves, for in comparing
themselves with themselves they (themselves? :-) are without understanding."
Huh?

I suppose I should make an intensive study of 2 Corinthians until it starts
to come clear to me.  Can anyone recommend a good commentary that would help
untangle the Greek?

Brian McCarthy
mccartbs at utrc.utc.com 
  




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