[B-Greek] "A working knowledge of Biblical Greek"

Carl W. Conrad cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu
Tue Aug 15 11:35:30 EDT 2006


The BG FAQ states with reasonable clarity near its very beginning an
expectation that participants in the B-Greek forum should have some
foundation in Biblical Greek:
"Anyone interested in New Testament Studies is invited to subscribe, but
list-members will be assumed to have at least a working knowledge of
Biblical Greek. While "lurkers" are welcome to receive and read list
correspondence, posts to the list are expected to pose questions about
Biblical Greek, not general questions or opinions about doctrine or the
meaning of the English text. Even basic questions are welcome, provided
they are really about the meaning of the Greek text. This is not a  
general
discussion list for Biblical matters. While one need not be a Greek  
scholar
to subscribe, one should at least be taking the first serious steps  
in the
study of Biblical Greek."

All of us who are regular participants in B-Greek are cognizant, I  
think,
that we are "learners" -- even if some are BEGINNING learners while
others are more ADVANCED learners. And the discussion in this
forum ranges from simpler to more difficult topics in Biblical Greek
language and the Biblical Greek text -- from the recurrent contention
over the "right" way to pronounce Biblical Greek and what's the
better method or textbook for learning the language at one end of
the spectrum to determination of the referents of neuter pronouns
or the determination of the referent in context of an adverbial phrase
in a particular text.

What do we mean by "a working knowledge of Biblical Greek"?

I don't think that can be spelled out very simply -- other than
something like: "You can't try to steal second base before you've
safely reached first base." There are probably better analogues
for those who don't know the game of baseball, but I think this
will do. Paul has his own athletic image underlying a similar
exhortation to operate at the level one has thus-far attained:

Phil 3:16 PLHN EIS hO EFQASAMEN, TWi AUTWi STOICEIN
I'd English that more-or-less thus: "But let's keep pace with the
running-speed we've attained, whatever that may be."

Now we all make mistakes occasionally -- I know that I've done
it -- we slip up and fail to recognize that we're dealing with a
subjunctive rather than an indicative or an accusative rather than
a nominative; but it is disconcerting to meet with a serious claim
for an interpretation of a Biblical text when the argument is flawed
by non-recognition of a fundamental construction that one normally
learns very early in one's study of ancient Greek, whether one has
had formal coursework in an academic institution or has worked
conscientiously on one's own through a primer and then through
intermediate grammars.

We have had discussions about the usefulness of interlinear
translations of the Biblical Greek text, some arguing that the
interlinears are a real boon to developing a grasp of the Greek
constructions, others insisting that the interlinears are more a
hindrance to gaining intimate familiarity with syntactic patterns.
For my part, I think that interlinears MAY be helpful to those
who have successfully plowed through at least one primer of
Biblical Greek. BUT -- what I have seen on more than one
occasion is the delusion that one who has NOT done any
study whatsoever in basic Greek grammar -- or who had it
once but hasn't refreshed it -- can, with the aid
of an interlinear translation, a lexicon, Strong's numbers, and
a handful of different NT translations, adduce proofs to show
why conventional interpretations of particular Biblical Greek
texts are misguided.

B-Greek has more than 1400 list-members who regularly
receive the individual messages or the digest for B-Greek.
98% or more are lurkers; I have no idea what level of
competence those who have never posted a message to
the list may have. Almost all who regularly post to the
list do show by their manner of query or argumentation
that they do have the level of competence in Biblical
Greek to underpin their query or comment on an issue
under discussion. The exceptions are rare, but they are
the reason why we have laid down the rule in our FAQ
that I have cited at the head of this message.


Carl W. Conrad
Co-Chair, B-Greek List
Department of Classics, Washington University (Retired)
cwconrad at artsci.wustl.edu or cwconrad2 at mac.com
WWW: http://www.ioa.com/~cwconrad/





More information about the B-Greek mailing list