[B-Greek] "Why do we make pastors translate?"

Will Dilbeck will.dilbeck at gmail.com
Sat Dec 12 22:57:18 EST 2009


Having taken some master's level Greek courses, and learning on my own, I
think that the "gold standard" would be parsing with eventually reading
texts. But, this is where it gets tricky. When someone reads a text are they
simply parsing and supplying the gloss or are they reading with enough
comprehension to understand the argument of the writer? In my mind, those
are two very different ways of "reading Greek."

Additonally, I think that busy preachers and pastors do not go beyond what
they are taught at school. This is why many "lose" the languages. I have
talked to many, many preachers who have said "I really need to work on my
Greek" which probably means, "I know its important but I really don't have
the time/discipline/desire." Others have told me that they didn't feel Greek
was all that important especially with computer programs like Logos or
Bibleworks. While these tools are great, I think the temptation can be quite
strong to rely on these tools and think "I have looked at the Greek/Hebrew"
when in fact they have done nothing more than used a lexical and a parsing
tool.

On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 7:45 PM, George F Somsel <gfsomsel at yahoo.com> wrote:

> They should have been locked in a room with nothing but bread and water
> until they had completed reading the LXX, the NT, Josephus and the Apostolic
> Fathers.  I think any seminary which doesn't require proficiency in both
> Greek and Hebrew before graduation should have its certification yanked.
>  george
> gfsomsel
>
>
> … search for truth, hear truth,
> learn truth, love truth, speak the truth, hold the truth,
> defend the truth till death.
>
>
> - Jan Hus
> _________
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Elizabeth Kline <kline_dekooning at earthlink.net>
> To: greek B-Greek <B-Greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
> Sent: Sat, December 12, 2009 6:15:01 PM
> Subject: Re: [B-Greek] "Why do we make pastors translate?"
>
>
> On Dec 12, 2009, at 3:04 PM, Marilyn Phemister wrote:
>
> > I am so enthralled with the awesome wonder of the Greek New
> > Testament, I
> > cannot imagine a pastor not wanting to read it for himself, with
> > understanding.
>
> I could introduce you to a few pastors who have to forcibly restrain
> themselves from exploding with rage and pouring forth  streams of
> profanity at the mere mention of biblical languages. When I was in the
> first decade of my Greek and Hebrew there was no lack of pastors bad
> mouthing it as a pernicious activity and a waste time. After a decade
> of abuse I just quit talking to pastors, period.
>
> Elizabeth Kline
>
>
>
>
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