Beginning Greek for Bible Study

Evgw, eivmi to; A[lfa Beginning Greek for Bible Study Class #4 A Bible Study Method kai; to; w=

Exegetical Example • Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come • w[ste ei; tij evn Cristw/|( kainh. kti,sij\ ta. avrcai/a parh/lqen( ivdou. ge,gonen kaina,

Clauses & Phrases • A clause is a group of related words that includes a subject and verb. • After Greek class, I am going home. • When I get home, I am going to bed. • A phrase is a group of words that does not have a subject or indicative verb. • After Greek class, I am going home. • Because of the weather, I stayed home.

Dependent (Subordinate) Clauses • A dependent (or subordinate) clause is a clause that cannot grammatically stand on its own. It does not make sense by itself. • When I get home • Because the weather is bad • An independent clause can stand on its own. • I am going home • I am going to bed • I am studying Greek

Clauses • Recognizing an independent clause from a dependent clause is ESSENTIAL for understanding the Bible. • The main point of a biblical text is usually in an independent clause, not a dependent clause.

Clauses – Col. 1:28-29 • 28 - We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. • 29 - For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

Introduction to Phrasing • Phrasing is a way of visually dividing up a section of Scripture in order to see the author’s flow of thought and thus understand the passage. • Phrasing is different than sentence diagramming and is generally more useful in Bible study. • *****In this section, the author uses the term “phrase” in a broader way than in chapter 7. Don’t be confused!

Overview of Phrasing • Step 1 – Find the beginning and end of the passage. • Step 2 - Identify the sections. • Step 3 – Identify the phrases. • Step 4 – Identify the main phrase(s) and modifying phrases. • Step 5 – Visually lay out the passage in a way that clearly shows the relationships of the phrases.

Step 1 – Identify the beginning and end of a passage • HOW? • Look for major shifts in topics • Look for shifts in audience • Look for shifts from description to prescription • Look for changes in key words and themes • Look for transitional phrases (“the next day,” “after this,” “therefore”) • Check your conclusions with a good commentary or study Bible. • Remember that the chapter and paragraph divisions are not inspired, but are helpful and usually correct in identifying major divisions.

Step 1 – Identify the beginning and end of a passage 1 Cor 1:1-10 1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Step 1 – Identify the beginning and end of a passage 1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Label? - Salutation

Step 2 – Identify the sections • Read and re-read the passage until the natural “breaks” are identified. • Label the sections with the main point of the section

Step 2 – Identify the sections 1 Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Step 2 – Identify the sections • AUTHOR (1) Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, • RECIPIENTS (2) To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: • GREETING (3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Step 3 – Identify the phrases • “A phrase is an assertion, a proposition, something that means something” (63). • A phrase is more than just one word.

Step 3 – Identify the phrases • AUTHOR Paul called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Sosthenes our brother, • RECIPIENTS To the church of God which is at Corinth to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus saints by calling with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: • GREETING (3) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Step 4/5 – Identify the main phrase(s) and modifying phrases – lay out visually AUTHOR Paul called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Sosthenes our brother, RECIPIENTS To the church of God = which is at Corinth to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus saints by calling with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: GREETING Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Step 1 - 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (5) that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Step 2 – Identify sections (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (5) that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Step 2 – Identify the sections THANKFULNESS FOR GRACE (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (5) that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. FAITHFULNESS OF GOD (9) God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Step 3 – Identify the phrases THANKFULNESS FOR GRACE (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (5) that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. FAITHFULNESS OF GOD (9) God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Step 3 – Identify the phrases THANKFULNESS FOR GRACE (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (5) that in everything you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you are not lacking in any gift awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Step 3 – Identify the phrases FAITHFULNESS OF GOD (9) God is faithful through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Step 4/5 – Identify the main phrase(s) and modifying phrases – lay out visually THANKFULNESS FOR GRACE (4) I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, (5) that in everything you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge, (6) even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, (7) so that you are not lacking in any gift awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, (8) who will also confirm you to the end blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Step 4/5 – Identify the main phrase(s) and modifying phrases – lay out visually FAITHFULNESS OF GOD (9) God is faithful through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Previews of coming attractions • Sometimes it is hard in English to “see” the relationships between phrases & clauses. • Do the best you can for now, but know in the future we will be “peeking” at the Greek underneath the English. The Greek usually makes the relationships between phrases much more clear than the English text.

Homework • Do the exercises in chapter 8 of Greek for the Rest of Us (Green book) • Read chapters 9-12 in Greek for the Rest of Us (Green book) • Practice phrasing!

Advanced Class Class #4 Greek Nouns – Genitive & Dative Cases

Overview of Greek Nouns • Stem • Declension • Case • Number • Gender

Greek Cases • Greek has five cases: • Nominative case – identifies the subject • Genitive case – usually indicates possession • Dative case – usually identifies the indirect object • Accusative case – usually identifies the direct object • Vocative case – the case for direct address

Paradigm chart

Noun Rules • Stems ending in alpha or eta are in the first declension, stems ending in omicron are in the second, and consonantal stems are in the third declension. • Every neuter word has the same form in the nominative and accusative. • Almost all neuter words end in alpha in the nominative and accusative plural.

Paradigm chart

More Greek Cases • Genitive Case • Dative Case

More Greek Cases • Genitive Case • The “of” case – the son of God, the love of Christ • Often indicates possession • Greek does not use the apostrophe to indicate possession (Christ’s love, God’s son) • u is the singular ending, wn is the plural ending • The word in the genitive usually follows the word it is modifying (ui`o.j tou/ qeou/). The word it modifies is called the head noun.

More Greek Cases • Dative Case • The “to,” “in,” and “with” case. • Often it functions as the indirect object. An indirect object in Greek uses the dative case. • i is the dative singular case ending and ij is the dative plural ending. • In the singular, the stem vowel lengthens and the iota subscripts: • basileia + i = basileia| • logo + i = logw|

Paradigm

Noun Rules • Stems ending in alpha or eta are in the first declension, stems ending in omicron are in the second, and consonantal stems are in the third declension. • Every neuter word has the same form in the nominative and accusative. • Almost all neuter words end in alpha in the nominative and accusative plural. • In the dative singular, the iota subscripts if possible. • Vowels often change their length (ablaut). • In the genitive and dative, the masculine and neuter will always be identical.

Partially Declined Words • Some words are not fully declined or follow rare patterns. • Be especially aware that proper nouns (names) often fall into this category.

Translation Helps • Be sure to use your key words when you translate a word in the genitive or dative. • Whenever you see a noun, do not stop but look to see if there is a word in the genitive following it. • Be sure to keep the article with the noun it goes with. Also keep the genitive and its article with the noun it modifies.

Prepositions • A preposition is a word that indicates the relationship between two words (on, under, over, with, before, in) • The word that follows the preposition is called the object of the preposition (on the chair, under the table) • The entire phrase that begins with a preposition is called a prepositional phrase

Greek Prepositions • Greek prepositions are basically the same as English prepositions, except that the meaning of a preposition depends on the case of its object. • dia, = “through” if its object is in the genitive • dia, = “on account of” if its object is in the accusative • Some prepositions always take an object in a certain case (en always takes the dative) • When an object of a preposition is in the dative or genitive, do not translate it with the usual “key words.” • avpo. qeou/ = “from God,” not “from of God”

Greek Prepositions • Sometimes, if a preposition ends in a vowel and the word that follows begins with a vowel, the vowel on the end of the preposition drops out. An apostrophe replaces it. This is called elision • For example, meta. auvto,n = met’ auvto,n • When memorizing prepositions, use the formula: ____ with the ____ means ____. • evn with the dative means in. • dia, with the genitive means through.

Dependent Clauses • In Greek, i`na and o[ti are words that introduce dependent clauses. • A dependent clause is a collection of words that cannot stand on its own.

eivmi, • eivmi is the most common verb in Greek and it needs to be memorized.

Beginning Greek for Bible Study