Gre 4220 BEGINNING GREEK i

1. Gre 4220 BEGINNING GREEK i Prof. Esa Autero Th.D

2. Why Study Greek? “The languages are the sheath in which the sword of the Spirit is contained."Martin Luther

3. Why Study Greek? “What was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another language.” “…even the Law…differ not a little when read in the original.” Prologue to the Book of Sirach c. 180 BC

4. Why Study NT Greek? • More accurate understanding of God’s word • You (sg.) – you (pl.) • Word studies • Nuances and colors • Misuse of Greek • Historical distance • Cross-Cultural experience

5. Why Study Greek? • Greek does not solve all the problems in interpretation  Limits the amount of interpretative possibilities “A bucket of iron”  Genitive of material OR genitive of content

6. Why Study Greek? • Example from the New Testament • ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ συνεχέι ἡμᾶς (2 Cor 5:14) • NKJV “For the love of Christ compels us” (2 Cor 5:14) • NIV “For Christ’s love compels us” (2 Cor 5:14) • CEV “We are ruled by Christ’s love for us” • Options in Greek: • Christ’s love for us? (subjective genitive) • Our love for Christ? (objective genitive) • Both? (plenary)  Greek does not give an obvious answer but helps understand interpretative options

7. Brief History of Greek Language • Pre-Homeric (-1000 BC) • Indo-Europeans to Greece • Classical Era (1000 BC-330 BC) • 4 predom. dialects (Aeolic, Doric, Ionic, Attic) • Attic = Plato, Thucydides, Xenophon • Koine (330 BC- 330 AD) • Alexander the Great; lingua franca • Byzantine (330 BC- 1454 AD) • Constantine’s conversion • Modern Greek (1453 AD to present) – literary & demotic

8. Koine and NT Greek • Types of Koine Greek: • Vernacular/vulgar • E.g. papyri • Literary • E.g. Plutarch, Polybius, Josephus, Philo • Conversational • E.g. New Testament, some papyri • Atticistic (cf. KJV English) • E.g. DioCrysostom, Aristides

9. Aspects of NT Greek • Language milieu of the NT: • Aramaic, Hebrew, Greek • Conversational Greek (not literary or vulgar) • Spectrum: Hebrews to Revelation • Hebraisms: • And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin? [lit. “I do not know a man” – ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω]?” (Luke 1:34). • Latinisms: • Lat. centurio – Gk. κεντυρίων (Mark 15:39) • Lat. legio – Gk.λεγιών(Mark 5:9)

10. Literary Levels of NT Authors Tendencies in NT books/authors

11. Greek alphabets

12. Greek Alphabets

13. Greek Alphabets

14. Vowels • Vowels = (7): • αεηιουω • εο(short); η ω(long) • αιυ(short or long)

15. Pronunciation & Accents • How was Greek pronounced in the NT era? • Erasmianvs. hypothetical vs. modern • Erasmian: widely used  distinguishes different sounds

16. Diphthongs

18. The Consonant Classes 17 consonants in 3 classes: • Liquids: smooth & easy flow • λμνρ • Mutes: close & release • βγδ θκ τ φ χ • Sibilants: “s” sounds • σ ζ ξ ψ

19. PUNCTUATION • Punctuation in Greek is different from English Character Looks like Greek Meaning • θεός, comma comma • θεός. period period • θεός; semicolon question mark • θεός period above line semicolon

20. Textbook and Websites • Visit the website for additional helps • http://www.teknia.com/greek • Supplementary info • Videos • Flash cards etc. ($$) • Other useful websites: • http://www.ntgateway.com/greek-ntgateway/greek-new-testament-texts/ • http://unbound.biola.edu/ (Multilinear) • http://www.nestle-aland.com/en/read-na28-online/ (NA 28) • http://sblgnt.com/ (GNT SBL Edition)