From: Steven Craig Miller (scmiller@www.plantnet.com)
Date: Sat Dec 11 1999 - 22:40:28 EST
<x-flowed>To: Jayce C. Edwards, Jim West, Clayton Stirling Bartholomew, Kevin P.
Edgecomb, Kevin W. Woodruff, William Boyd, Theodore H. Mann, Paul Dixon, et
al.,
JW: << Because if one cannot read the Bible in its original languages one
can never really interpret or exegete it. One is always dependent on what
someone else has thought or conceived or understood a passage to say. One
cannot consider oneself an interpreter of the Bible unless one knows the
languages- one is merely a parrot of what someone else has said. >>
Throughout most of Christian history, to be an independent interpreter of
scripture is to be a (so-called) "heretic." I presume that you wouldn't
concur with such a definition.
KWW: << 3. My practical reason for studying Greek: To be able to find out
why English versions differ. >>
I like that one too!
THM: << ... you should study the language because you love doing it. It's
great fun! >>
That's probably the best reason yet! One is certainly not going to stick
with it if one doesn't take some joy in ... (what was that expression) ...
"dabbling" in Greek.
PD: << Well, a fellow student and I at Dallas Seminary years ago (1971)
made a covenant between us to be diligent in the study of the Greek for the
rest of our lives. ... Sadly, the other guy has since reneged. I have not. >>
I don't know how everyone else (who is not teaching Greek at school)
disciplines themselves so as to keep up with their language skills and
studies, I have been fortunate to have a pastor who has similar interests
as I. We meet almost once each week to read the Greek NT together (not
counting adult Sunday school class). We've been doing this for over ten
years now. And just as I'm fortunate to have a pastor who takes Greek
studies seriously, I would guess that not every parish has an ex-Classics
student, who is able to pop in to read Greek during the work week. (And all
you pastors can just thank your lucky stars [or whatever, or whoever, you
wish to thank] that I'm not in your parish! <g>)
-Steven Craig Miller
Alton, Illinois (USA)
scmiller@www.plantnet.com
Disclaimer: "I'm just a simple house-husband (with no post-grad degree),
what do I know?"
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