[B-Greek] [b-greek] Commentaries: Cambridge Greek Testament: Luke

john johneill at tiscali.co.uk
Wed Dec 13 13:39:35 EST 2006


This is the first time I have attempted to post here.  Please forgive me if I inadvertently break any netiquette rules in this posting.

I am part of a small group of lay preachers currently studying Luke's Gospel with the aid of Farrer's commentary on Luke in the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges series.  This was originally published in 1884, but my copy is from the 11th reprint in 1912.   I imagine that "Schools & Colleges" in that era probably meant "Public Schools" (which in England are expensive private schools, eg Eton and Harrow), and "Colleges" may well have been colleges of Oxford and Cambridge.

I have just been comparing it with some of the Pitt Press (Cambridge University Press) editions which we used in studying 
Latin authors for A-level and at university in the 1950s.  It seems to be on a similar level, and certainly no lower.

The Introduction includes a helpful section on Hellenistic Greek and its peculiarities .

The notes on each chapter begin with critical notes, eg on Luke 1.5: 
"GUNH AUTWi. The reading of *BCDLX Gr. La. Ti. &c; 'he had a wife' instead of the hH GUNH AUTOU 'his wife was'  of the Rec."

The detailed comments on individual words, phrases or verses cover both grammatical points of interest or difficulty and religious, historical and cultural background, and from time to time comparison of the A.V. translation with other versions. 

After the commentary Farrer includes 7 "Excursus".  The 1st is "On the meaning of EN TOIS TOU PATROS MOU" (Lk 2.49), the 2nd compares Luke's and Matthew's genealogies of Jesus, the 3rd is "On putting New (NEON) Wine into Fresh (KAINOUS) Bottles" and the 4th is "On the meaning of EPIOUSION" Lk 9.3.

I hope this gives a little flavour of the commentary.  

Our group's original aim was to improve our knowledge of Biblical Greek, but we are finding that the commentary also gives us fresh insights into a very familiar book.  We are finding it so useful that I had intended (when I could get up my courage to make a posting on b-greek) to ask if anyone knew of a similar commentary on John's Gospel!

Eileen England


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